Neuromodulation

In March 2024, several ongoing mini-HTA assessments for diagnostic imaging, e-health, endoscopic procedures, IVD, neuromodulation, peripheral vascular, and some other fields are evaluated as a part of a framework for the managed introduction of innovations "New Methods in Norway.

The French National Authority for Health (HAS) released new recommendations about add-on reimbursement of medical devices and medical aids from the meetings of the National Commission for Evaluation of Medical Devices and Health Technologies (CNEDiMTS) in February 2024. Fourteen recommendations were published concerning the registration of medical devices or modification of registration conditions with the extension of indications for the medical devices in the List of Reimbursable Products and Services (LPPR). Opinions concern cardiovascular, neurovascular, neuromodulation, endocrine, and endoscopy devices, as well as medical aids.

In January 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published three new Interventional Procedure Guidance (intravascular lithotripsy in peripheral arterial disease, temperature control after cardiac arrest, and pharyngeal electrical stimulation for neurogenic dysphagia) and one new Diagnostics Guidance (AI-derived software to help clinical decision making in stroke). Furthermore, one Diagnostics Guidance and five clinical guidelines were updated.

On January 30, 2024, 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 2023. The medical technologies of cardiovascular, ENT, extracorporeal, gastrointestinal, neuromodulation, and other technology groups obtained positive status 1.

On November 29, 2023, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health published the changes that will occur to the Services Ordinance (KLV/OPre), which determines coverage of medical services in Switzerland. The updates will enter into force on January 1 or July 1, 2024, and they relate to the list of explicitly evaluated services (Annex 1 of KLV/OPre), outpatient-before-hospital services (Annex 1a), List of Tools and Equipment (Annex 2), and List of Analyses (Annex 3).

On November 30, 2023, the entity managing the DRG system in Switzerland, SwissDRG, published the final version of the 2024 DRG system. In total, 34 new DRGs were introduced, and they concern cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, men’s health, nephrology and urology, neurology and neurosurgery, neuromodulation, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, pulmonary, and some other technology groups. Also, two new add-on reimbursement categories were introduced.

The French National Authority for Health (HAS) released new recommendations about add-on reimbursement of medical devices and medical aids from the meetings of the National Commission for Evaluation of Medical Devices and Health Technologies (CNEDiMTS) in October 2023. Twelve recommendations were published in relation to the registration of medical devices in the List of reimbursable products and services (LPPR). Opinions concern cardiovascular, e-health, endocrine, gastrointestinal, neurology and neurosurgery, neuromodulation, and orthopedic devices, as well as medical aids.

On October 5, 2023, the Health Technology Council initiated the evaluation aimed to investigate whether Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation should be used as a treatment option for adult patients with treatment-resistant depression. The expected publication date is not announced yet.

In early August 2023, the Polish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariff System (AOTMiT) announced the start of the evaluation of several technologies in men’s health, neuromodulation and in-vitro diagnostics fields.

On July 17, 2022, the Austrian Institute for HTA (AIHTA) published four decision support documents, which provide recommendations regarding the inclusion of new medical interventions in the catalog of individual medical services of the performance-oriented hospital financing (Leistungsorientierten Krankenanstaltenfinanzierung, LKF) model, as well as three updates to previous decision support documents.

The “New Methods” framework invited interested parties to submit information regarding microcurrent treatment for anxiety, depression, and sleep problems before August 8, 2023. Ordering Forum will then decide whether the method will undergo evaluation at the national level.

In May 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published one new Interventional Procedure Guidance (intramuscular diaphragm stimulation for ventilator-dependent chronic respiratory failure from high spinal cord injuries), two new Diagnostic Guidance (MRI fusion biopsy systems for diagnosing prostate cancer, automated ankle-brachial pressure index measurement devices to detect peripheral arterial disease), and three new Health Technology Evaluations (Digitally enabled therapies for adults with anxiety disorders / with depression, and point-of-care tests for urinary tract infections). Also, four clinical guidelines were updated.