Germany

In mid-August 2020, the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) published the preliminary 2021 version of OPS procedure coding nomenclature. Numerous content updates and new procedure codes inclusion concern the chapters 1 “Diagnostic measures,” 5 “Operations,” and 8 “Non-operative therapeutic measures.” The list of new endoscopy-related procedure codes added under the respective OPS sub-chapters of chapters 1 and 5 is provided below:

From October 1, 2020, balneophototherapy can also be used for patients with moderate to severe neurodermatitis and billed via the EBM (German Uniform Evaluation Standard). So far, dermatologists have only been able to use the method for patients with psoriasis.

On behalf of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA), the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) investigated to what extent adults with symptomatic knee cartilage defect (but without advanced arthrosis) could benefit from autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) of different types: periosteal-covered (ACI-P), collagen-covered (ACI-C) or matrix-associated (M-ACI).

The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) investigated the extent to which evidence is available for the benefit and harm of non-invasive computed tomography angiography (CTA) and stress diagnostics using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in people with suspected coronary heart disease (CAD) using evidence mapping.

The German Association for Digital Health Care (Spitzenverband Digitale Gesundheitsversorgung e.V.) published the list of companies that submitted applications for inclusion in the directory of digital health apps (DiGA) in the first phase.

On behalf of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA), the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) investigated whether (former) heavy smokers within statutory health insurance (SHI) should be offered lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT).

In late June 2020, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) published funding priorities on its website. For the first time, the decision on the funding priorities was preceded by a consultation process. Healthcare stakeholders who are not members of the Innovation Committee were asked to come up with suggestions for funding topics and criteria.

The revised EBM (German Uniform Evaluation Standard) catalog came into force on July 1, 2020. MTRC has compiled the selection of the most significant changes.

A new guideline on follicular lymphoma (FL) has been published as part of the oncology guideline program. The guideline was developed by 64 experts from 21 specialist societies and organizations under the supervision of the German Society for Hematology and Medical Oncology (DGHO).

The Corona warning app, developed on behalf of the German government, has been available for download in the Google and Apple stores since June 16, 2020. It is intended to help identify and break infection chains at an early stage. Users of the app receive a notification if they have been for a long time in the vicinity of a person who was later found to be infected with the coronavirus.

The reimbursement for PCR tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 will be reduced from €59.00 to €39.40 per test starting from July 1, 2020, and the billing of the examination will be limited to five times in the case of treatment. This decision was made by the extended evaluation committee on June 10, 2020.

According to the German Institute of Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI) announcement, there will be a new ICD code for the coding of non-curative COVID-19 tests in symptom-free people implemented in ICD-10-GM on June 1, 2020. The implementation in the practice management systems is ongoing.