Funding

On June 30, 2021, it was announced that the Government of Spain, through the Ministry of Health, will invest nearly 400 million euros throughout this year in the development of the High-End Technology Equipment Investment Plan (INVEAT) of the National Health System (SNS). The objectives are to reduce the obsolescence of the current SNS technology park and to raise the average density rate of high-tech equipment per 100,000 inhabitants. The renovation of equipment amounts to 585 units and the expansion to 262.

On July 01, 2021, NHSX launched a new Digital Health Partnership Award. It will help NHS organizations receive funding to accelerate the adoption of digital health products and services to monitor patients with long-term conditions remotely. The deadline for applications is July 31, 2021.

On July 27, 2021, the Dutch Healthcare Institute (ZIN) will start accepting project idea applications for round 6 of the Promising Care subsidy scheme. The application form for project ideas and the explanation of the application form are available for applicants.

On June 22, 2021, NHS England released 2019/20 National Cost Collection Data, which is a nationally mandated collection of cost data from secondary care and tertiary care providers that are delivering services in the NHS. The 2019/20 cost data is submitted by 208 NHS providers and gives the most comprehensive insight into how the sector spent £72.6 billion delivering healthcare to patients.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI/TAVR) in severe aortic stenosis treatment across all surgical risk groups was being evaluated within the "New Methods" framework since 2019. On April 26, 2021, the Decision Forum for "New Methods" made a positive coverage decision for TAVI/TAVR to treat patients with severe aortic stenosis across all surgical risk groups.

On April 09, 2021, the Swedish Medical Technologies Product (MTP) Council decided to add more technologies to the ongoing evaluation for self-monitoring of atrial fibrillation within the Orderly introduction framework, initiated in December 2020. MTP Council commissioned the Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency (TLV) to perform a health-economic evaluation of five products (Coala, KardiaMobile, CardioMem CM 100 XT, PhysioMem PM 100, Zenicor). MTP Council will then make recommendations to the regions on whether to adopt these technologies or not.

In March 2021, 32 NHS trusts received funding through the NHSX Digital Aspirant program, which was initiated in 2020, and already supports 27 NHS trusts for their digital transformation. Seven of the newly added NHS trusts will receive up to £6 million over the next three years, while the remaining 25 are receiving funding of £250,000 to develop their digital strategy and business case.

According to the available financial results, published by the German Federal Ministry of Health, the German statutory health insurance companies reported a total deficit of around 2.65 billion euros in 2020. The health fund reported a deficit of 3.49 billion euros in 2020. As of January 15, 2021, the health fund's liquidity reserve was around 5.9 billion euros.

On March 4, 2021, INAMI-RIZIV announced the development of a multi-year trajectory for the health care budget in which will define the allocation of resources for health care objectives for 2022-2024.

In March 2021, the new mini-HTAs of five technologies were initiated in Norway: Harpoon - transapical neochordae device, tricuspidal clip, portable hand-held spirometry, CGM device and insulin pump, and portable spirometry device. The final mini-method assessment will be published in the National Database for Mini-HTA.

On January 5, 2021, the President of the Russian Federation signed the Decree on the establishment of the Fund to support children with severe life-threatening and chronic diseases, including rare (orphan) diseases called the “Circle of Kindness”.

On December 28, 2020, the Government of the Russian Federation released a Decree which approved the program of State Guarantees in Health Care for 2021. The program determines the average level of financing of health care services, but most importantly, the list of procedures covered as part of the High-End Medical Care. The newly introduced High-End Medical Care lists changes concern the cardiovascular, neurological, ENT, surgical procedures, endocrine, orthopedics, dermatology, and other technology groups.