In-vitro diagnostic tests

The Draft Order amending the Common Package of Benefits of the National Health System was published in spring 2024. The proposed changes mostly concern screening, primary and community care, eHealth, cardiovascular, and medical aids fields.

On April 18, 2024, the updated version of the Finnish Laboratory Tests Nomenclature was published by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) to come into force on May 1, 2024. A total of four new codes were introduced in the in-vitro diagnostic field.

In April 2024, the Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) working group, which develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclatures for private payers in England, published Bulletins 195 and 091 with changes to be implemented no later than June 12, 2024. Ninety new procedure codes and five new diagnostic codes were implemented in ENT, gastrointestinal, in-vitro diagnostics, nephrology and urology, neurology and neurosurgery, pulmonary and airways, orthopedics, robotic surgery, men's health, and general surgery fields.

In March 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published two new Health Technology Evaluations using early value assessment (digital health technologies to help manage symptoms of psychosis and prevent relapse in adults and young people, and digital technologies for managing non-specific low back pain). Furthermore, three new clinical guidelines were published, four clinical guidelines, and two Health Technology Evaluations were updated.

On March 31, 2024, the Ministry of Labor, Health, and Solidarity published a Decree in the Official Journal of the French Republic relating to the conditions of coverage of innovative IVD tests within the RIHN framework, which should facilitate the transition from the RIHN framework to regular reimbursement via the NABM Nomenclature.

In March 2024, the English government endorsed the UK National Screening Committee's recommendation to introduce newborn screening for hereditary tyrosinaemia type 1 (HT1). Testing for HT1 will be added to the NHS Newborn Blood Spot Screening Programme in England.

On March 23, 2024, the Norwegian Directorate of Health released an updated version of the Norwegian Laboratory Code (NLK) system and associated tariffs to be implemented no later than May 1, 2024. A total of 107 new codes were added, 92 codes were amended, and two codes were terminated.

The Essential Levels of Care (LEA) defines outpatient specialist and prosthetic care guaranteed to the Italian population. Although the LEA document was brought in 2017, the national tariffs for outpatient specialist and prosthetic care were launched in April last year after seven years of development. They were supposed to come into effect on January 1, 2024 (later postponed to April 1, 2024). However, on March 27, 2024, the need for tariff revision and the new Decree postponing the tariffs until January 2025 was announced by the Italian Ministry of Health

In January-March 2023, the Austrian Institute for HTA published Rapid reviews of three health technologies: liposuction for the removal of subcutaneous (large) lipomas, biomarkers in Parkinson's disease, and the use of telepathology in intraoperative frozen section examination.

In March 2024, the Health Sciences Institute in Aragon (IACS) is working on several HTAs, including evaluations in diagnostic imaging, IVD, as well as clinical guidelines in endocrine, orthopedics, nephrology and urology, and some other fields.

On March 1, 2024, the updated Benefit Order was published in the Official Journal of the French Republic. Notable updates encompass modifications to existing emergency care supplements and the addition of new ones for non-hospitalized emergency care services, such as laboratory tests, imaging, specialist consultations, out-of-hours care, and specific provisions based on patient condition and age.

In March 2024, several ongoing mini-HTA assessments for diagnostic imaging, e-health, endoscopic procedures, IVD, neuromodulation, peripheral vascular, and some other fields are evaluated as a part of a framework for the managed introduction of innovations "New Methods in Norway.