Reimbursement

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.

In late August 2022, the updated version of the DRG tariff system guide (Takstsystem) was released by the Danish Health Data Agency (Sundhedsdatastyrelsen). No new DRGs were introduced in the updated version of the DRG tariff system guide. However, two new groups were added to the List of special services, for which supplementary payment may be charged.

On September 1, 2022, the Institute for Hospital Remuneration Systems (INeK) announced the start of the application process according to §6 (2) KHEntgG (New Examination and Treatment Methods, NUB) for 2023. The deadline for the submission of applications is October 31, 2022.

The French National Authority for Health (HAS) released new recommendations about transitional coverage of medical devices from the meetings of the National Commission for Evaluation of Medical Devices and Health Technologies (CNEDiMTS) in August 2022. One opinion was published regarding the cardiac resynchronization system WISE CRT-SYSTEM by EBR System.

The French National Authority for Health released new recommendations about add-on reimbursement of medical devices from the meetings of the National Commission for Evaluation of Medical Devices and Health Technologies in August 2022. One recommendation was published in relation to the registration for devices in the List of reimbursable products and services (LPPR List). The opinion concerns men’s health area.

On August 11, 2022, NHS England and NHS Improvement released an updated National Genomic Test Directory for rare and inherited diseases (version 3.1), which lists genomic tests commissioned by NHS England via Genomic Laboratory Hubs. No new codes (test-indication combinations) were introduced.