Germany

On May 26, 2025, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) announced that 49 applications for innovation funding of healthcare research projects were accepted.

In late May 2025, the Innovation Committee of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) published decisions recommending the transfer of several completed healthcare research and new forms of care projects into standard care. These projects addressed a range of topics, including a web-based self-help program for relatives of individuals with depressive disorders, strengthening crisis resilience in outpatient medical practices, and structured aftercare following bariatric surgery.

On April 22, 2025, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) announced the receipt of 156 applications (project ideas) for innovation funding of projects for new forms of care. The majority of applications (n=117) were submitted in response to topic-specific funding calls, including integration of AI systems into healthcare structures and processes, strengthening child and youth health, and women's health. A decision on which project ideas will be invited to submit full proposals is expected in the fourth quarter of 2025.

On April 30, 2025, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) announced that it had reached an agreement with the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband) on the further expansion of the Hybrid DRG catalog in 2026. The decision was made by the extended Evaluation Committee, as no consensus could be reached with the German Hospital Federation (DKG).

On April 11, 2025, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) announced the opening of the application period for the submission of topics for upcoming funding opportunities in the areas of healthcare research and new forms of care. The deadline for submitting topic proposals is June 20, 2025.

On April 1, 2025, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband) published its report on the utilization and development of digital health applications (DiGA) covering the period from September 1, 2020, to December 31, 2024. The report presents GKV’s key findings along with recommendations aimed at optimizing the current framework for DiGA reimbursement and regulation.

On April 1, 2025, the revised EBM (German Uniform Evaluation Standard) catalog for the second quarter of 2025 came into force. The main changes introduced concern updates of the contents (services legends, preambles of several EBM subchapters) and the introduction of new EBM codes related to follow-up and evaluation of another reimbursable health app and second-opinion consultations.

On March 26, 2025, the Law to accelerate the digitalization of the healthcare system (Digital Law, DigiG) came into force.

On March 21, 2025, the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) announced that the establishment of the Transformation Fund, one of the key elements of the approved hospital reform, was formally endorsed by the Federal Council (Bundesrat) through a corresponding legal ordinance.

On February 25, 2025, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) presented an updated draft version (8.0) of its general methods. Interested parties can submit written comments until April 29, 2025.

Between late February 2024 and early March 2025, seven 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, 59 health apps are currently available in the DiGA Directory, and ten health apps were delisted from the Directory.

In late February 2025, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) published the decision recommending the transfer to standard care for the completed project in the peripheral vascular field. The project was dedicated to the integration and spatial analysis of regional, site-specific, and patient-specific factors to improve the quality of care in carotid artery revascularization.