Percutaneous heart valve repair and replacement

In August 2019, the mini-HTA for Tendyne transcatheter mitral valve implantation system was initiated by Oslo University Hospital. The finalized mini-method assessment will be published in the National Database for Mini-HTA.

On June 6, 2019, the Swiss Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) has changed the Services Ordinance (OPre/KLV), which determines coverage of health care services in Switzerland. The changes regard mostly the reimbursement rules for various services. Furthermore, there are updates regarding the Health Insurance Law (LAMal/KVG), List of Analyses, List of Medical Aids and Equipment, and clinical coding.

In June 2019, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) has released an HTA report for TAVI in patients with severe aortic stenosis and intermediate surgical risk commissioned by the National System for Managed Introduction of New Health Technologies within the Specialist Health Service in Norway. The cost-utility analysis indicated that TAVI was slightly more effective and more costly than open surgery. These findings can help decision makers appraise the intervention against the official priority setting criteria in health care sector applicable in Norway.

With the regional decree of April 23, 2019, Tuscany Regional Healthcare has published assessments of six medical devices belonging to various therapeutic areas, including a system for monitoring in heart failure, TAVI, glaucoma drainage system, intravascular lithotripsy system.

The report presents a summary of reimbursement situation for use of Embolic Protection Devices during percutaneous cardiac procedures (PCI and TAVI). 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.

Eleven new DRGs have been added in 2019, while three DRGs have been deleted. The significant changes have been made for disorders of the circulatory organs (MDC 5) and musculoskeletal, skeletal and connective tissue disorders associated with prosthetic surgery (MDC 8). They concern insertion of vagus stimulator, ablation of heart, percutaneous valve replacement, and others.

On January 31st, 2019, the French High Authority for Health (HAS) has published a new assessment of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The objective of this assessment was to clarify the level of requirements of the National Commission for the Evaluation of Medical Devices and Health Technologies (CNEDiMTS) in terms of minimal clinical data to provide for the registration of a new TAVI on the LPPR, for the acceptance of a new indication for a TAVI already registered on the LPPR and for renewal of registration of a TAVI registered on the LPPR.

In late December 2018, the European HTA agency, EUnetHTA, announced the final report of the project OTCA06 - “Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in patients at intermediate surgical risk.”

Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) released changes in coverage of medical procedures, IVD tests and medical aids in Switzerland. They include extension of coverage for neonatal screening to severe congenital immunodeficiencies, extension of coverage under restrictions for TAVI, gene test for breast cancer, PET, PET / CT, local superficial hyperthermia during tumour treatment, external defibrillator and coverage for sub-urethral tapes for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women. Also, changes in the coverage for neonatal screening were introduced.

At the end of June of 2018, the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialtyrelsen) has published an updated version of the National clinical guidelines for heart care. The review was conducted for the inclusion of few updated recommendations regarding the management of the coronary heart disease, valvulopathy and arrhythmia.

On 11th May, the Italian Ministry of Health announced from its website that five new Med Tech-related HTA documents are available for public consultation. See the details in the MTRC post.

The German Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) has commissioned the Institute for Quality Assurance and Transparency in Health Care (IQTIG) to evaluate the guideline on minimally invasive heart valve interventions with minimum quality standards for hospitals that want to perform transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or clip procedures on the mitral valve. The report has to be submitted by December, 2019.