Transplantation

In October 2024, the Agreements on new pathologies and procedures for the care of which it is necessary to designate Benchmark centers, departments, and units of the National Health System (CSURs) were approved in the cardiovascular, endoscopy, gastrointestinal, nephrology, and urology, obstetrics and gynecology, surgical procedures, neuromodulation, and peripheral vascular fields. In addition, several CSURs were designated or redesignated for previously approved pathologies and procedures.

On October 01, 2024, the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) published the second release of the 2025 DRG package (RZ25b). Three new procedure codes, four new supplementary payments (OZPs), 18 new diagnosis codes, and two new DRGs will be implemented across gastroenterology, surgery, diagnostic imaging, molecular diagnostics, and other areas.

In June 2024, the Finnish Coordinating Center for Health Technology Assessment announced that two rapid hospital assessments in the extracorporeal treatments and endoscopy fields and one Digi-HTA were accomplished.

On August 11, 2024, the BfArM (Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices) published the preliminary version of the 2024 OPS procedure coding classification. The OPS, together with the ICD-10-GM (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision, German Modification), forms the basis for the reimbursement systems in inpatient and outpatient care in Germany.

In January-February 2023, Health Technology Wales published sixteen Medtech-related Topic Exploration Reports (TER), including stereotactic radiosurgery, percutaneous implantation of pulmonary artery pressure sensors, ambulatory patch ECG devices, and others; however, Health Technology Wales will not proceed with full appraisals on these topics. No Guidance was released for Medtech in January-February 2023.

The HTA body of the Tuscany Regional Healthcare issues three types of documents: full HTA reports, rapid HTA reports, and motivational forms. With regional decree 24486 of December 7, 2022, Tuscany Regional Healthcare has published assessments of three medical devices in the surgical procedures, neurology and neurosurgery, and extracorporeal treatments areas.

In November 2022, an annual update of the Swedish procedure coding system (Classification of Health Care Measures, KVÅ) was released to come into force from January 2023. A total of 119 new surgical procedure codes and 98 new medical procedure codes will be introduced concerning cardiovascular, diagnostic imaging, eHealth, endocrinology, endoscopy, ENT, gastrointestinal, IVD, nephrology and urology, peripheral vascular, and others.

The new version of the classification of procedure codes (CCAM v.68) applicable from 09/12/2021 was published in France. Multiple changes were introduced, including registration of 22 new procedure codes, changes of notes and tariffs for procedure codes, removal of two codes, and other changes. New codes are related to procedures on the gastrointestinal tract, surgical procedures, peripheral vascular procedures, etc.

The Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) is a national health technology assessment (HTA) agency providing advice to NHSScotland on the use of new and existing health technologies, likely to have a significant impact on healthcare. In the third quarter of 2021, SHTG published only one report in relation to HeartFlow fractional flow reserve computerized tomography (FFRCT). Currently, the SHTG is working on assessments of technologies in the field of diabetes, digital health, surgical procedures, and other topics.

In September 2021, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published three new Interventional Procedure Guidance (transapical transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve implantation for a failed surgically implanted mitral valve bioprosthesis, transapical transcatheter mitral valve-in-ring (TMVIR) after failed annuloplasty for mitral valve repair, and lateral elbow resurfacing for arthritis), and two new Medtech Innovation Briefings (Carnation Ambulatory Monitor, OrganOx metra for liver transplant). Also, one clinical guideline was updated.

On August 30, 2021, the Decision Forum for "New Methods" made a positive coverage decision for two methods: Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy (TUMT) for benign prostatic hyperplasia treatment and organ donation using normothermic regional perfusion in patients with severe brain injury and who died of cardiac and respiratory arrest when life-prolonging treatment is discontinued.

In May 2021, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published five new Interventional Procedure Guidance (ex-situ machine perfusion for extracorporeal preservation of lungs for transplant, transvaginal laser therapy for stress urinary incontinence and for urogenital atrophy, electrohydraulic lithotripsy for difficult-to-treat bile duct stones, and permanent His-bundle pacemaker for heart failure), one new Medical Technologies Guidance (UroLift for benign prostatic hyperplasia), and two new Medtech Innovation Briefings (Axonics sacral neuromodulation system for faecal incontinence and KODEX-EPD for cardiac imaging during ablation of arrhythmias). Also, three clinical guidelines and two Medical Technologies Guidance were updated.