On April 22, 2025, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) announced the receipt of 156 applications (project ideas) for innovation funding of projects for new forms of care. The majority of applications (n=117) were submitted in response to topic-specific funding calls, including integration of AI systems into healthcare structures and processes, strengthening child and youth health, and women's health. A decision on which project ideas will be invited to submit full proposals is expected in the fourth quarter of 2025.

On April 30, 2025, the Federal Council approved the new outpatient reimbursement system, comprising the TARDOC catalog of individual service tariffs (ambulatory settings) and the flat-rate system (day case settings). The approval is valid until December 31, 2028, allowing for potential adjustments post-implementation. The TARDOC and outpatient flat rates will take effect on January 1, 2026.

MTRC is pleased to announce the release of its latest White Paper: "Best Reporting Checklists for Studies of Medical Devices". This White Paper explores the best reporting checklists for medical device studies (CONSORT, STROBE, STARD, PRISMA, PRISMA-DTA, SPIRIT, and TIDieR), their key components, and how they improve research transparency.

MTRC is pleased to announce the release of its latest White Paper: "General Market Access Landscape for Health Apps in Europe". This document provides a structured overview of the reimbursement landscape for health apps in three major European countries: England, France, and Germany.

In March-April 2025, Health Technology Wales (HTW) accomplished one full appraisal of permanent implant brachytherapy devices for unresectable pancreatic cancer. Five Med Tech-related Topic Exploration Reports were published (on superior rectal artery embolization, glucose monitoring systems in neonates, gender-affirming surgery, telemetric intracranial pressure monitoring, tumor-profiling tests to guide bisphosphonate treatment in cancer).

Meet MTRC’s Director, Dr. Oleg Borisenko, at the Pharma 4.0 - Digital Healthcare Conference in Berlin. Visit us at Booth #9 to explore tailored solutions in market access, health economics, and evidence synthesis for complex MedTech challenges. Don’t miss Dr. Borisenko’s expert talk on the reimbursement of digital technologies in Europe on 22 May at 10:50 AM.

MTRC is pleased to announce the release of its latest White Paper: "Case study: Market Access Pathway for Preeclampsia Predictive Tests in Germany and Norway". This document provides a detailed case study on how developers of IVD tests can effectively navigate reimbursement pathways in key European markets using the examples of pathways in Germany and Norway.

On May 01, 2025, the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) published the first release of the 2026 DRG package (RZ26a). Three new procedure codes, seven new supplementary payments (OZPs), one new diagnosis code, and two new DRGs will be implemented across in-vitro diagnostics, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology and neurosurgery, cardiovascular and other technology groups.

In April 2025, the HTA body of Tuscany Regional Healthcare published six rapid HTA reports (five new assessments and one reassessment) of medical devices in the cardiovascular, peripheral vascular, endoscopy, and dermatology fields.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Health Economic Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Dijk et al. piloted the CHEQUE tool in the context of systematic reviews of health economic studies in medical education, aiming to assess its usability and inform future improvements. The authors applied CHEQUE to 21 economic evaluations, uncovering a wide range in quality scores (18%‒94%) and a positive correlation between methodological rigor and reporting standards. The study highlighted CHEQUE’s value as a structured assessment tool but also pointed to the need for refinements to reduce complexity and enhance clarity.

On April 30, 2025, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) announced that it had reached an agreement with the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband) on the further expansion of the Hybrid DRG catalog in 2026. The decision was made by the extended Evaluation Committee, as no consensus could be reached with the German Hospital Federation (DKG).

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Freitag et al. explored negotiation strategies for pricing and reimbursement of prescription-based mHealth apps (DiGA) in Germany. Based on 16 expert interviews, the authors introduced a four-step framework detailing price determination, payment conditions, payment modalities, and negotiation governance. Statutory insurers expressed a preference for usage-based pricing, while a value-based care model was identified as delivering the greatest patient benefit.