Reimbursement

On April 21, 2022, NHS England and NHS Improvement updated the 2021/22 National Genomic Test Directory (version 3), which lists genomic tests commissioned by NHS England via Genomic Laboratory Hubs. Forty-two new codes (test-indication combinations) were introduced in the cancer field, and fourteen for rare and inherited diseases.

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 April 2022. Thirty 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 (LPPR). Opinions concern cardiovascular and peripheral vascular, orthopedic, neurovascular, and neuromodulation and other devices, as well as medical aids.

In April 2022, the Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) working group, which develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclatures for private payers in England, published Bulletins 0183 and 0080 with changes to be implemented no later than June 14, 2022. Eleven new procedure codes and nine new diagnostic codes were introduced.

MoveUP is the first digital health app that has reached the level 3 level on the Mhealth validation pyramid. This means that the app is now reimbursed in Belgium.

On April 1, 2022, the entity managing the DRG system in Switzerland, SwissDRG, announced that they will be accepting applications for changes in the DRG system from June 6, 2022, until July 17, 2022. The results of the DRG applications made in 2022 will be reflected in the 2024 version of SwissDRG.

In March and April 2022, three more health apps were introduced in the Directory of digital health applications (DiGAs) at the Federal Office for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) and thus became reimbursable. These apps can be prescribed by physicians and psychotherapists and will be reimbursed by health insurers. In total, thirty-three health apps are now available at the DiGA Directory.

On March 31, 2022, the updated intra-DRG list was published. It includes the modifications of registration conditions for several devices included in the list. No new devices were added to the list.

On April 8, DRG tariffs for 2022 were published in the Official Journal of the French Republic and on the website of the Agency for Technical Hospital Information.

The revised EBM (German Uniform Evaluation Standard) catalog came into force on April 1, 2022. The most significant changes concern the introduction of new additional flat rates for the observation and care of patients who are given certain medications, adjustment of EBM reproductive medicine definitions, and inclusion of several new codes for PET and PET/CT.

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 March 10, 2022, santésuisse announced that the Swiss Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) had decided to reduce the tariffs for laboratory tests, which is a consequence of santésuisse's repeated call for price reductions in the previous years. Santésuisse expects the price reduction to be substantial and to enter into force soon.

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 March 2022. More than 15 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 (LPPR). Opinions concern cardiovascular and peripheral vascular, orthopedic, and neurovascular devices, as well as medical aids.