In December 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published one new Interventional Procedures Guidance on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock in adults, and one new Early Value Assessment (EVA) on digital platforms to support cardiac rehabilitation.

On December 19, 2025, an order was issued registering the Symplicity Spyral renal denervation catheter in Title V of the List of Reimbursable Products and Services (LPPR), enabling add-on reimbursement for medical devices used in hospital settings. The Symplicity Spyral received a positive opinion for LPPR registration in December 2023, following transitional coverage under the French innovative payment scheme known as pre-LPPR since December 2022.

On December 17, 2025, the Ministry of Health published two draft HTA reports developed within the National HTA Program for Medical Devices and launched a public consultation. Reports concern continuous glucose monitoring and the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Comments can be submitted until January 16, 2026.

On December 5, 2025, the Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI/RIZIV) updated the List of implants and invasive medical devices effective January 1, 2026. A new section “Cardiac defibrillator” was added with 15 new material codes for single-chamber cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), dual-chamber ICDs, cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-D), subcutaneous cardiac defibrillators, and electrodes. A new Nominative list was created with eligible branded devices in connection with new material codes for cardiac defibrillators.

In December 2025, the Dutch Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) opened the submission of applications for the subsidy round “Methodology development for appropriate care” of the Appropriate Care Framework program, intended for the development of new methodologies and conceptual frameworks that underpin future research and (policy) decision-making in appropriate care. The application deadline for the subsidy round is March 31, 2026.

In December 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in England updated its manual on technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies. The scope and terminology were clarified, and further details were provided to support the production of technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies on HealthTech (that is, medical devices, diagnostics, digital technologies).

On December 10, 2025, the Ministry of Health published the Decree for the update of classification systems for diagnosis and procedure coding, effective in 2027, with updates scheduled at least every two years and the continued use of ICD-10-IM until the transition to ICD-11. Implementation will proceed through a pilot phase in 2025 and a nationwide rollout in 2026, supported by conversion tools from ICD-9-CM to ensure continuity, with ICD-9-CM entirely discontinued as of January 1, 2027.

On December 9, 2025, the Department of Health and Social Care launched a consultation on the government’s proposals to give ministers limited powers to direct the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in setting the standard cost-effectiveness threshold. Comments can be submitted online by January 13, 2026.

On November 20, 2025, the Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System (InEK) published the DRG catalog (Fallpauschalen-Katalog), which includes the list of DRGs and additional reimbursement categories (ZEs) for 2026. Five new DRGs were introduced in the diagnostic imaging, men’s health, nephrology and urology, and radiotherapy fields. No new MedTech-related ZE categories were added to the catalog.

On December 3, 2025, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health announced amendments to the List of Medical Aids (Annex 2 of the Healthcare Benefit Ordinance or MiGeL), which will take effect in 2026. From July 1, 2026, the MiGeL List will include a new chapter for digital health applications. The first generic category to be registered covers a health application for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for depression.

In mid-December 2025, a new version of the Common Classification of Medical Procedures (CCAM v.81), effective January 1, 2026, was published. Multiple changes were implemented, including the introduction of four new procedure codes, the provisional registration of four codes, the deletion of a few codes, the modification of tariffs for numerous activities/phases, and the amendment of existing services.

On December 3, 2025, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health published updates to the Healthcare Benefit Ordinance (KLV/OPre), which determines coverage of medical services in Switzerland. The changes will take effect on January 1, 2026, and relate to prophylactic vaccinations, cost containment measures, and other matters. The updates are also implemented in KLV Annexes, including the List of explicitly evaluated services (Annex 1), the outpatient-before-inpatient mandate (Annex 1a), the List of Medical Aids (Annex 2, MiGeL), and the List of Analyses (Annex 3, AL).