Switzerland

On 8th of June 2018, the company in charge of the development of the DRG system in Switzerland, SwissDRG SA, has announced the catalogue version of Swiss DRG 8.0/2019.

On 18th of June, 2018, the Federal Department of Home Affairs issued the latest update of the list of medical aids and equipment. This update will come into force on 1st of January, 2019. However, this list will be updated a few times in 2018.

Starting with 19th of June, 2018, HIV self-test kits can be bought in pharmacies and druggists all over Switzerland.

A change in the Services Order (Ordinanza sulle Prestazioni, OPre), regarding surgery in general, will come into force on January 1st, 2019. This change makes it possible to reimburse a number of surgeries in hospital settings in exceptional circumstances because in general, these procedures should be performed in out-patient settings.

On 28th of May, 2018, the Swiss Medical Tariff Commission (CTM-MTK) has agreed with the hospitals association (H+) on a transitional solution for the application of TARMED, which will last until July 31st, 2018.

The list of the laboratory tests is based on the Services Order (Ordinanza sulle Prestazioni, OPre) of the September 29th, 1995; the latest update is in force since January 1st, 2018. The list contains the services whose costs are covered by the obligatory healthcare insurance (assicurazione obbligatoria delle cure medico-sanitarie, AOMS). With the latest update, there are 1931 tests on this list. See the list of the January 2018 modifications in Italian here. See the full list of current laboratory tests in Excel format (in French, German and Italian) here. Subscribe to our newsletter delivered every second week not to miss important reimbursement information.

Between 28th of May and 9th of July 2018, SwissDRG will be accepting the requests/suggestions regarding the DRG system in the country.

On 5th of April, 2018, the Board of Directors of SwissDRG SA has given the director the mandate to establish, where appropriate, codifications by analogy in agreement with the Federal Statistics Office (FSO). The regulation from April of 2018 covers CytoSorb for removal of cytokines.

In February 2018, the DFI (the Federal Department of Home Affairs) has decided to make a change in the activity order (Ordinanza sulle prestazioni, OPre) concerning “out-patient before in-patient.” The modification is coming into force starting January 1st, 2019. Six procedures will be reimbursed only in out-patient settings.

The Department of Home Affairs (EDI) in Switzerland decided upon the coverage with evidence development (CED) of two types of positron emission tomography as well as stereotactic radiotherapy (photons) of exudative age-related macular degeneration. The status is given to contested medical services for a specific period which is extended until evidence is complete.

The further-developed tariff structure SwissDRG was approved by the Federal Council in Switzerland. The new tariff version for inpatient services will be effective from January 1st in 2018. The tariff structure SwissDRG defines how inpatient services in the acute care area of the hospitals and birthplaces are reimbursed within the framework of compulsory health care insurance in Switzerland.