e-Health

On October 29, 2023, the Ministry of Health and Prevention published an Order in the Official Journal of the French Republic setting the tariffs for the medical telemonitoring activities covered within the early digital support scheme. The tariffs are set per patient based on the number of patients involved.

The French National Authority for Health (HAS) released new recommendations about add-on reimbursement of medical devices and medical aids from the meetings of the National Commission for Evaluation of Medical Devices and Health Technologies (CNEDiMTS) in October 2023. Twelve recommendations were published in relation to the registration of medical devices in the List of reimbursable products and services (LPPR). Opinions concern cardiovascular, e-health, endocrine, gastrointestinal, neurology and neurosurgery, neuromodulation, and orthopedic devices, as well as medical aids.

In October 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published two new Interventional Procedure Guidance (percutaneous deep venous arterialisation, vaginal transluminal endoscopic hysterectomy and adnexal surgery) and two Health Technology Evaluations using early value assessment (digital technologies for delivering specialist weight-management services, virtual ward platform technologies for acute respiratory infections). Also, one new clinical guideline was published, and eight were updated.

On October 20, 2023, the Spanish Ministry of Health announced that a budget of 130 million euros was allocated to support the upcoming launch of the Personalized Digital Care Plan. Healthcare digitalization is already a well-established reality that materialized into the Digital Health Strategy with more than 800 million euros budget allocated since 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In late October 2023, the Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment (OSTEBA) is working on several HTAs, including the evaluations in the cardiovascular, diagnostic imaging, e-health, ENT, ICU/OR, nephrology and urology, IVD, neurovascular, obstetrics and gynecology, surgical procedures, and some other fields.

The updated German Uniform Evaluation Standard (EBM) catalog came into force on October 1, 2023. The EBM catalog (Einheitlicher Bewertungsmaßstab) regulates the reimbursement of services in the public outpatient sector in Germany and is updated once a quarter (four times a year). Among other changes, a new code for “Mawendo” and “Oviva Direkt für Adipositas” health apps were introduced in the catalog.

In October 2023, the Centre for Assessment of Medical Technology in Örebro is working on several HTAs, including evaluations in e-health, ICU/OR, men’s health, orthopedic fields, and other fields.

In September 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published three new Interventional Procedure Guidance (removal, preservation, and reimplantation of ovarian tissue for restoring fertility, transurethral water-jet ablation for lower urinary tract symptoms, cryotherapy for chronic rhinitis), and three Health Technology Evaluations using early value assessment (AI-derived software to analyze chest X-rays for suspected lung cancer, AI technologies to aid contouring for radiotherapy planning, KardiaMobile 6L for adults having antipsychotic medication). Also, two new clinical guidelines were published, and three were updated.

In September 2023, the following method assessments were initiated as a part of a framework for the managed introduction of innovations "New Methods" for cardiovascular, e-health, endocrine, gastrointestinal, IVD, men’s health, neurology and neurosurgery, neuromodulation, robotic surgery, and some other fields.

In September 2023, several ongoing mini-HTA assessments for e-health, gastrointestinal, IVD, neurology and neurosurgery, peripheral vascular, pulmonary and airways, and some other fields are evaluated as a part of a framework for the managed introduction of innovations "New Methods" in Norway.

Between late May and early September 2023, two more health apps were introduced in the Directory of digital health applications (DiGAs) at the Federal Office for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) and thus became reimbursable. These apps can be prescribed by physicians and psychotherapists and will be reimbursed by health insurers. In total, 49 health apps are currently available in the DiGA Directory, and six health apps were delisted from the Directory.

In September 2023, the Galician Agency for Health Technology Assessment (AVALIA-T) is working on several HTAs, including the evaluations in the cardiovascular, e-health, endoscopy, extracorporeal treatment, ICU/OR, nephrology and urology, IVD, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, peripheral vascular, pulmonary and airways, surgical procedures, and some other fields.