In-vitro diagnostic tests

In the first half of June 2024, the French National Authority for Health (HAS) published its positive opinions regarding the reimbursement of several services in France.

On May 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 July 1, 2024. Twenty-two new codes were added, and 49 codes were changed.

In May 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published three new Interventional Procedures Guidance concerning selective internal radiation therapy for liver metastases, endoscopic duodenal mucosal resurfacing in type 2 diabetes, and image-guided percutaneous laser ablation for liver tumours, and one Diagnostics Guidance on tumour profiling tests to guide adjuvant chemotherapy decisions in early breast cancer.

On May 23, 2024, the 2024 working plan was published by the Spanish Network of HTA Agencies (RedETS). Topics in cardiovascular, diagnostic imaging, e-health, endoscopy, ENT, extracorporeal treatments, ICU/OR, in-vitro diagnostics, interventional radiology, men’s health, neurology and neurosurgery, neuromodulation, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, peripheral vascular, pulmonary and airways, radiology, radiotherapy, robotic surgery, spine, surgical procedures, and some other fields are included in the plan.

On May 17, 2024, the French National Authority for Health (HAS) announced the start of the application period for evaluating procedures and IVD tests to be included in the 2025 HAS working program.

On May 1, 2024, the Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI/RIZIV) updated several articles of the Nomenclature. New procedure codes were introduced in pulmonary, endoscopy, and in-vitro diagnostic fields.

On May 3, 2024, the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Healthcare awarded £3.2 million to 22 innovations to improve patient care and save money while making the NHS greener. These include projects to explore the decontamination and recycling of single-use plastics, the use of at-home finger prick blood tests, and health apps.

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.

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.