Funding

On August 31, 2021, NHSX published a set of guidelines for digitized healthcare to support Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) and individual health and care organizations to transform services for patients. Three guidelines are available now to help local leaders to accelerate digital transformation in their organizations and support the NHS Long Term commitment to digitize the entire NHS for the benefit of patients and staff.

On July 13, 2021, the Dutch Healthcare Institute (ZIN) announced three projects which were awarded under the "Subsidy scheme for promising care" framework. Two projects concerned MedTech - artificial pancreas and knee distraction.

On July 7, 2021, a Decree which defines the new annual budget of €20 million for breast cancer genomic tests has been published. The Decree describes the access procedure and the requirements for the disbursement of the budget. This Fund will provide “free” access to genomic testing to women from all Italian regions who could benefit from the testing.

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.