Reimbursement

Rehabilitation before or after a primary knee or hip replacement using a health app is temporarily reimbursed in Belgium under a specific agreement with the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV). Reimbursement was limited to patients participating in the clinical study. From October 01, 2022, all patients eligible for rehabilitation before and after a primary knee or hip replacement will receive it using a health app in combination with a certain minimum number of classic face-to-face physiotherapy sessions. Certain health apps must be included in the list of reimbursable mobile applications. For now, only one app (MoveUP Coach) is included.

In October 2022, the Norwegian Directorate of e-Health released the procedure coding system for 2023. A total of 54 new codes will be introduced from January 2023: 19 surgical procedure codes (NCSP) concerning neurology and neurosurgery, neurovascular, cardiovascular, eHealth, diagnostic imaging, pulmonary and airwaves, radiotherapy, nephrology, peripheral vascular, and surgical procedures, 17 radiology procedure codes (NCRP), and 18 medical procedure codes (NCMP).

On March 16, 2022, NHS England launched a strategy for embedding genomics in the NHS over the next five years. The ambition is to accelerate the use of genomic medicine across the NHS, providing a world-leading, equitable service to populations and individuals.

The revised EBM (German Uniform Evaluation Standard) catalog came into force on October 1, 2022. The most significant changes concern introducing the EBM codes for several IVD tests and a new service in artificial insemination.

On September 26, 2022, the health app “Rehappy” was delisted from the Directory of digital health applications (DiGAs) at the Federal Office for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM).

On September 23, 2022, the Norwegian Directorate of e-Health released an updated version of the National Laboratory code (NLK) system and associated tariffs for state and private laboratories to be implemented no later than November 01, 2022. Twenty-three new codes were added, six codes were changed, and 126 codes were terminated.

The French National Authority for Health 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 in September 2022. Thirty-eight recommendations were published in relation to the registration, modification of registration conditions, and renewal of registration for devices in the List of reimbursable products and services. Opinions concern cardiovascular and peripheral vascular, neurovascular and neuromodulation, orthopedic, endocrine, ENT, dermatological, and spine-related devices, as well as digital care and medical aids.

On September 14, 2022, the Evaluation Committee published a preliminary (so-called announcement) decision on the further development of the German Uniform Evaluation Standard (EBM) catalog, which regulates the reimbursement of services in the public outpatient sector in Germany and is updated once a quarter (four times a year).

Earlier this year, the CZ-DRG v5 was released in the Czech Republic by the Central Institute of Health Information and Statistics (ÚZIS). Currently, further changes are being implemented, and the CZ-DRG v5, revision 1, will be ready for implementation on January 1, 2023.

The Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency (TLV) has planned a theme survey on products for the diagnosis or treatment of lung cancer and colorectal cancer to identify products that may be relevant for health economic assessments at TLV. The survey is planned to be carried out in September – October 2022. No further information has been provided yet.

On September 1, 2022, the updated “List of state-paid services and their payment conditions” was published in Latvia. All six newly introduced codes concern the provision of services related to COVID-19 and flu vaccination.

In September 2022, Ordering Forum for New Methods has invited interested parties regarding electric field therapy (Optune, Tumor Treating Fields) alone or in combination with drugs for certain groups of glioblastoma patients, based on genome sequencing and biomarkers (indication II). Information should be submitted before November 8, 2022. Ordering Forum will be held on November 21, 2022, to decide whether the method will undergo evaluation at the national level.