The Innovation Fund in Germany was created in 2015 for the period from 2016 to 2019, with the primary aim to improve health care for policyholders and patients in statutory health insurance (SHI). In March 2019, the governing parties have agreed in the coalition agreement that the innovation funding should be continued at least until March 2021 with an annual budget of €200 million.

On the 14th of March of 2019, the Dutch National Health Care Institute has opened a project submission period in a framework of subsidy scheme called “Promising care.” This scheme makes it possible to obtain temporary financing for a maximum of 6 years for those treatment methods that look promising but are not yet reimbursed from the basic package. The period for submitting project ideas for promising care is from March 14 to May 14, 2019.

The Swiss innovation agency, InnoSuisse, reminds that the deadline for the application for financing of truly innovative projects is May 20, 2019. The Swiss Federal Council has ensured additional funding of CHF 24 million for 2019 and 2020 for the “Impulse digitalization programme.”

In April 2019, the Catalan Agency for Quality and Healthcare Evaluation, AQuAS, published a quick report with indication criteria for cochlear implants in children.

The Academic Health Science Networks in partnership with the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) launched a report of the MedTech landscape aimed at accelerating the entry, adoption, and spread of innovations for the benefit of patients and commercial success.

Danish Health Authority published new codes for the Health Care Classification System in April 2019, including twelve surgical, nine medical codes and two codes for imaging diagnostics. New codes include endovascular occlusion of intracranial vessels, creation of AV fistula, number of embolization procedures and some other codes.

In Finland, the Health Care Services Selection Council is responsible for making recommendations regarding the research, treatment and rehabilitation methods. Currently, PALKO is working on the only one assessment related to in-vitro diagnostics - screening for a Serious Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID) from newborn heel. In final report, the Council will conclude whether the procedure is a part of publicly funded services or not.

The report presents a summary of reimbursement situation for balloon kyphoplasty. The following indications will be considered: osteoporosis with pathological fracture, secondary malignant neoplasm of spine (breast cancer). 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.

The report presents a summary of reimbursement situation for diagnostic endoscopic procedures on the upper gastrointestinal tract for benign and malignant diseases in outpatient settings. The following procedures will be considered: esophagoscopy, gastroscopy, duodenoscopy. 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.

On behalf of the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), a working group of the Hannover Medical School (MHH) has assessed the treatment outcomes in case of nasoalveolar molding (NAM) for cleft lip and palate. The report was published in February 2019.

The report presents a summary of reimbursement situation for balloon sinus dilation for chronic sinusitis. Indications include chronic maxillary, frontal and sphenoidal sinusitis. 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 January 2019, the Health Institute Carlos III published a report Diagnostic effectiveness and safety of elastography in oncology. An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analysis.