Switzerland

On June 19, 2024, the Swiss Federal Council granted partial approval to the new outpatient reimbursement system, consisting of the TARDOC catalog of individual service tariffs and the flat-rate system, which were developed independently. Adjustments were requested to ensure better coordination and adherence to cost neutrality. The full implementation of the new system is now postponed until 2026.

On June 18, 2024, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health published the changes that will occur to the Services Ordinance (KLV/OPre), which determines coverage of medical services in Switzerland. The updates will enter into force on July 1, 2024, 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 List of Analyses (Annex 3).

The application window for changes in the Swiss classification of surgical procedures (CHOP) will open on June 3, 2024. The eligible applicants can submit applications until September 15, 2024.

On May 1, 2024, the Swiss Federal Council adopted a message to amend the Federal Health Insurance Act (KVG) following a parliamentary mandate, which requires a change in how tariffs for laboratory analyses are determined. Instead of being set by the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA), the tariffs of tests in the List of Analyses will be determined through negotiations between collective bargaining partners, streamlining the inclusion of innovative analyses and slowing down the increase in healthcare costs.

In December 2023, the Swiss parliament adopted the uniform financing of outpatient and inpatient services (EFAS). Currently, inpatient benefits are financed jointly by health insurers and the cantons, whereas outpatient services are entirely funded by the insured. The EFAS will come into force in January 2028 and bring a uniform way of financing inpatient and outpatient services; the healthcare system is expected to be integrated into this system four years later.

On January 3, 2024, the entity managing the DRG system in Switzerland, SwissDRG, announced that they will be accepting applications for changes in the DRG system from June 3, 2024, until July 15, 2024. The results of the DRG applications made in 2024 will be reflected in the 2026 version of SwissDRG.

In mid-November, the Federal Office of Public Health released an overview of the Swiss HTA program in a presentation “Bridging the Gap: How to Align HTA and Health Care Decision Making in Switzerland”.

On November 29, 2023, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health published the changes that will occur to the Services Ordinance (KLV/OPre), which determines coverage of medical services in Switzerland. The updates will enter into force on January 1 or July 1, 2024, 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 List of Analyses (Annex 3).

On November 22, 2023, the Swiss Federal Council approved the digital transformation program in the healthcare system to accelerate the implementation of the Swiss health data space. To implement the program over ten years (2025 – 2034), the Federal Council is applying to Parliament for a commitment loan of 392 million francs.

On November 30, 2023, the entity managing the DRG system in Switzerland, SwissDRG, published the final version of the 2024 DRG system. In total, 34 new DRGs were introduced, and they concern cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, men’s health, nephrology and urology, neurology and neurosurgery, neuromodulation, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, pulmonary, and some other technology groups. Also, two new add-on reimbursement categories were introduced.

On October 20, 2023, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) published six newly initiated health technology assessments, four of which relate to MedTech. These belong to pulmonary, interventional radiology, and physiotherapy technology groups.

On June 19, 2023, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) published the changes that will occur to the Healthcare Benefit Ordinance (KLV/OPre) and its Annexes, which determines coverage of medical services in Switzerland. Key changes relate to introduction of two codes for genetic tests, several extensions of Coverage with Evidence Development, and updates in reimbursement conditions for transcatheter aortic valve implantation. The changes entered into force on July 1, 2023.