Hemodialysis

On January 1, 2025, the revised EBM (German Uniform Evaluation Standard) catalog for the first quarter of 2025 came into force. The main changes introduced concern updates of the contents (services legends, preambles of several EBM subchapters), the introduction of new EBM codes related to dialysis services, CT coronary angiography, management of long COVID patients, different types of consultations and visits, and material costs flat rates related to shipping services.

In October 2024, the annual update of the Swedish procedure coding system (Classification of Health Care Measures, KVÅ) was released to come into force on January 1, 2025. A total of 55 new surgical procedure codes and 43 new medical procedure codes were introduced concerning diagnostic imaging, endoscopy, ENT, men’s health, nephrology and urology, gynecology, orthopedics, pulmonology, and some other areas.

In Belgium, kidney dialysis is reimbursed under a specific agreement (Convention) between the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) and chronic kidney failure centers starting in 2018. The current update of the Convention came into force on January 1, 2024, and is valid until December 31, 2026. Four new Pseudo-nomenclature codes for informing and training patients were added.

In January and February 2023, Ordering Forum for the “New Methods” framework invited interested parties regarding several technologies proposed for evaluation within the framework. The technologies concern arteriovenous fistula for hemodialysis, deep brain stimulation, epidural spinal cord stimulation, and digital chest drain. Ordering Forum will decide whether the technology undergoes evaluation at the national level.

On January 30, 2023, the Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System (InEK) published the list of the requests for innovation funding (NUB) that were submitted by the hospitals in 2022. The medical technologies belonging to the cardiovascular, eHealth, gastrointestinal, neuromodulation, neurovascular, peripheral vascular, orthopedic, and other technology groups obtained positive status 1.

On January 28, 2022, the Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System (InEK) has published the list of the requests for innovation funding (NUB) that were submitted by the hospitals in 2021. The medical technologies belonging to the cardiovascular, ENT, eHealth, gastrointestinal, neuromodulation, neurovascular, orthopedic, and other technology groups obtained positive status 1.

At the beginning of January 2022, the INAMI published a convention for 2022-2023 related to the financing of dialysis. The convention regulates the modalities of reimbursement for dialysis of patients with chronic renal failure.

In December 2021, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published two new Interventional Procedure Guidance (endobronchial nerve ablation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and transanal total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer), two new Medical Technologies Guidance (ClearGuard HD antimicrobial barrier caps, and Endo-SPONGE for treating low rectal anastomotic leak), and one new Medtech Innovation Briefings (FreeO2 automatic oxygen titration). Also, one new clinical guideline was published, and five were updated.

In October 2021, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published three new Interventional Procedure Guidance (genicular artery embolization for pain from knee osteoarthritis, laparoscopic renal denervation for loin pain hematuria syndrome, percutaneous endovascular forearm arteriovenous fistula creation for hemodialysis access), and one new Medical Technologies Guidance (DyeVert Systems for reducing the risk of acute kidney injury in coronary and peripheral angiography). Also, two new clinical guidelines were published.

On January 29, 2021, the Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System (InEK) has published the List of the requests for innovation funding (NUB) that were submitted by the hospitals in 2020. The medical technologies belonging to the cardiovascular, ENT, eHealth, gastrointestinal, neuromodulation, neurovascular, orthopedic, and other technology groups obtained positive status 1.

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.

The report presents a summary of the reimbursement situation for use of hemodialysis as out-patient session treatment for chronic renal in Europe. The analysis covers adult patients only. The haemodialysis procedure are considered in the end-stage chronic renal failure. The analysis covers procedure coding, payment mechanism, reimbursement tariffs and policy restrictions in 11 EU countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. It is also possible to add analysis in the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Russia and Turkey.