The French National Authority for Health (HAS) regularly publishes new decisions about add-on reimbursement for medical devices. The decisions made in the period July-September 2018 concern various types of devices. In total, 52 decisions were published.

In mid-October 2018, the Catalan Agency for Quality and Healthcare Evaluation, AQuAS, published the evaluation of efficacy and safety home-based hospitalization. The authors have concluded that it is a valid patient care option.

The Clinical Coding and Schedule Development Group develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclature for private payers in England. In July/August new codes for genetic tests, including 18S rRNA gene and sequencing and ELA2 Cyclic Neutropenia Genetic Screen were added to the CCSD Schedule.

In mid-October 2018, the French Ministry of Solidarity and Health has published an article which describes the change of the financing of the health care system and proposes medium-term strategies for this gradual change. The report has been developed by the Directorate of research, studies, evaluation and statistics (DREES) of this ministry.

In October 2018, the Austrian HTA body, the Ludwig-Boltzmann Institue (LBI), published the update on the PET/PET-CT topic. The report was done together with the Berlin Technical University.

In mid-September 2018, the Swiss Federal Council has placed in consultation the first group of actions that are intended to contain costs in the healthcare sector. The suggested measures will be discussed with all relevant healthcare stakeholders (tariff partners, Cantons, industry and patient associations). These measures should save hundreds of millions of Swiss francs in the long term.

Explanation about the coding of CAR-T cell therapy in Switzerland was released by SwissDRG.

On 6th of September, 2018, the Austrian HTA body, the Ludwig-Boltzmann Institute (LBI-HTA) has released a report on external stimulation of the trigeminal nerve for the prevention and acute treatment of an episodic and chronic migraine. The method was not recommended for inclusion into catalogue of hospital benefits.

The report presents a summary of reimbursement situation for gastric pacemaker stimulation. Two indications are considered: gastroparesis and obesity. The analysis covers procedure coding, payment mechanism, reimbursement tariffs and policy restrictions in 11 EU countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

In mid-August 2018, the Austrian HTA body, the Ludwig-Boltzmann Institute (LBI), has published a health technology assessment in which they have assessed the efficacy and safety of stereotactic radiotherapy (Cyberknife®), proton beam therapy and irreversible electroporation (Nanoknife®) for localized prostate cancer (PCa). It was concluded, there is inadequate and insufficient evidence to show that three evaluated technologies have either a positive impact on survival and quality of life or the ability to prevent or delay prostatectomy.

The report presents a summary of reimbursement situation for cochlear implants for hearing loss. The only reimbursement within public / statutory health insurance systems is considered. The analysis covers procedure coding, payment mechanism, reimbursement tariffs and policy restrictions in 11 EU countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

In May 2018, the French National Authority of Health, HAS, has published an update of the assessment of coronary stents.