Prostate artery embolization

On December 2, 2024, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health published the changes that will occur to the Healthcare Benefit Ordinance (KLV/OPre), which determines coverage of medical services in Switzerland. The updates will enter into force on January 1, 2025, 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 the List of Analyses (Annex 3).

In mid-June, the Swiss Federal Office for Public Health announced the update of the Annexes of the Services Ordinance (KLV/OPre). Annexes 1, 2, and 3 were updated. The updates related to the endocrine, IVD, and interventional radiology technology groups.

On March 31, 2022, NHS Digital released HRG4+ Local Payment Grouper for 2022/23 for use from April 01, 2022. In general, there are significant changes in base HRG design. A total of 120 new HRGs were created, and multiple HRGs were removed, so the total number increased by 62 from 2,838 to 2,900.

On December 17, 2021, NHS Digital released HRG4+ Consultation Grouper for 2022/23. This release is used to support the NHS England and Improvement consultation process for the 2022/23 National Tariff Payment System. In general, there are significant changes in base HRG design. A total of 120 new HRGs were created, multiple HRGs were removed, and the grouping logic was updated significantly. This Consultation Grouper will be superseded by the 2022/23 Local Payment Grouper in March 2022, for use from April 01, 2022.

In the second half of April, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published one diagnostic guidance on adjunctive colposcopy technologies for assessing suspected cervical abnormalities, four Interventional Procedure Guidance for robot-assisted kidney transplant, nerve transfer to partially restore upper limb function in tetraplegia, prostate artery embolisation for lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia and microinvasive subconjunctival insertion of a trans-scleral gelatin stent for primary open-angle glaucoma, and two new MedTech Innovation Briefings for sleep mask for diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema and disinfecting cap for needleless connectors.

In 2017, PAE was evaluated by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute – Health Technology Assessment (LBI-HTA) to define whether evidence for this minimally invasive procedure can be sufficient for inclusion into benefit catalogue. Within this research work, evidence in relation to efficacy and safety of PAE was assessed in comparison to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and open prostatectomy. Based on the results of literature review, LBI-HTA did not recommend PAE for inclusion into benefit catalogue in Austria. LBI-HTA recommended re-evaluating PAE procedure in the 2021 year when new potential evidence is available.