Netherlands

Dutch National Health Care Institute (Zorginstituut Nederland) has confirmed scope of surveillance on implementation of radioembolization with Yttrium-90 microspheres as salvage therapy for patients with non-resectable liver metastases of colorectal cancer origin in the Netherlands. The focus will be on evolution of cost and volume of procedures, concentration of care in few designated centers and implementation of clinical protocol for use of procedure.

Dutch Health Care Authority (NZa) has been working on developing tariffs for diagnosis-related groups (DBCs) to reimburse special medical rehabilitation care (medisch-specialistische revalidatiezorg, msrz). Originally, it was planned to roll out new payment model (DRGs with national tariffs) in 2019, however, NZa decided that more time is needed to collect cost data to determine appropriate tariffs.

Researchers evaluated care process, access, administrative efficiency, equity and health care outcomes in 11 countries on the basis of published health care statistics for 72 indicators. The best overall performers among European countries were the UK (ranked 1st), the Netherlands (3rd), Norway (4th), Sweden and Switzerland (6th). Germany (8th) and France (10th) were low in the ranking.

The treatment with autologous fat transplantation (AFT) may be a part of the basic health insurance package under certain conditions, including defects of the head and / or neck region, HIV-associated lipoatrophy and, and fibrosis (scarring), as recommended by the Dutch Health Care Institute (Zorginstituut Nederland).

An assessment was initiated earlier this year. The Institute will evaluate compliance of dynamic fusion in lumbar spondylosis with the state of science and practice.

An assessment was initiated earlier this year on the request from Dutch Hypertension Society and umbrella organization of 9 health insurance companies Zorgverzekeraars Nederland. The Institute will evaluate compliance of baroreflex activation therapy (BAT) for treatment of resistant hypertension with the state of science and practice.

The deadline for acceptance of applications for conditional reimbursement in 2019 by the Care Institute Netherlands (Zorginstituut Nederland) is 29th of June 2017. Conditional reimbursement for the period of up to 4 years can be available for promising technologies, which did not meet criteria for “state of science and practice” in the assessments of Zorginstituut Nederland.

The Care Institute Netherlands (Zorginstituut Nederland) has released information that real-time continuous glucose monitoring is now included into the basic health insurance package for two additional groups of patients suffered from diabetes: women with diabetes who wish to become pregnant and patients with type 1 diabetes with repeated severe hypoglycemia.

Suggestions for change of DRG system will be accepted by Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) by 1st of June 2017. If accepted, changes will be implemented in 2019.