Germany

Balneophototherapy becomes covered by the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV) for patients suffering from moderate to severe neurodermatitis. The Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) decided to include this treatment option to contract medical care on March 20, 2020.

On March 13, 2020, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) announced that the new HTA reports would concern cystitis, heart disease in children, social isolation, as well as vitamin B12 / vitamin D deficiency in the elderly, and the Feldenkrais Method in treatment of mobility disorders.

In severe cases of lipedema, the costs for liposuction will be covered by the statutory health insurance companies from January 2020. The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV) have added several new fee order items to the EBM (German Uniform Evaluation Standard) and set the reimbursement.

On the 1st of February, 2020, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-SV) have made the agreement for laboratory diagnostic clarification about the novel coronavirus. Afterwards, the statutory health insurance companies will cover the costs of the test for the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) if there are justified suspected cases.

On the 17th of February 2020, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) invited external stakeholders to suggest topics and criteria for future funding. Moreover, the submission of proposals for members of the new pool of experts was announced.

The patients diagnosed with osteoporosis requiring medication will be able to receive care within a structured treatment program (disease management program, DMP). The Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) decided in mid-January 2020 the details of participation and the various aspects of care.

In late January 2020, the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and health insurance provider Barmer have signed an integrated care contract for the telemedical management of patients with chronic heart failure. Also, the benefit assessment process at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) has already started, and a result is expected in spring 2021.

On January 30, 2020, the Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System (InEK) has published the List of the requests for innovation funding (NUB), submitted by the hospitals until October 31, 2019. Out of 778 technologies, 201 (26%) received the positive status 1, which means that the evaluated procedure or medical device meets the NUB criteria and allows the hospitals to negotiate with the sickness funds for the innovation funding for these technologies.

The Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) has updated the nationwide requirements for disease management programs (DMP) for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The current DMP contracts must then be adjusted to the new requirements within one year of the decision coming into force. Around 225,000 legally insured patients are currently enrolled in a DMP for type 1 diabetes.

From January 2020, the "Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score" test is reimbursed by the health insurance companies at an extra budget of 3,296.50€. This is explicitly the only test that the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) has included in the contracted medical care.

At the start of the organized program for the early detection of cervical cancer on January 1, 2020, several new services will be added to the EBM (Einheitlicher Bewertungsmaβstab, German Uniform Evaluation Standard).

With the support of Aaron.ai, the first health application from the project “KBV Future Practice” ("KBV-Zukunftspraxis") was launched in Germany. About 50 medical practices are now testing the smart telephone assistant in their daily work. The evaluation of the practical tests is carried out by the Charité.