Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) released changes in coverage of medical procedures, IVD tests and medical aids in Switzerland. They include extension of coverage for neonatal screening to severe congenital immunodeficiencies, extension of coverage under restrictions for TAVI, gene test for breast cancer, PET, PET / CT, local superficial hyperthermia during tumour treatment, external defibrillator and coverage for sub-urethral tapes for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women. Also, changes in the coverage for neonatal screening were introduced.

In late December 2018, the European HTA agency, EUnetHTA, announced the ultimate project plan of the project OTCA19 - “Screening for osteoporosis in the general population.”

At the beginning of December 2018, the HTA entity of the Region of Tuscany has released a list of the upcoming assessments of the medical devices. Assessments include among others Impella ventricular assist device from Abiomed, Endocuff Vision colonoscope from Olympus, VascuFlex® Multi-LOC multiple stent delivery system from B Braun.

On December 14, 2018, the Center of Competence and Coordination of Confederation and Cantons, Swiss eHealth, has published version 2.0 of the Swiss eHealth strategy. This version replaces the 2007 version and will be applied until 2022. With the "Swiss eHealth Strategy 2.0", the Confederation and the cantons intend to enhance the promotion of digitalization in the healthcare sector, whose priority is the introduction and dissemination of the patient's digital record.

The French National Authority for Health (HAS) regularly publishes new decisions about add-on reimbursement for medical devices. The decisions made in December 2018 concern various types of devices (orthopedic, neurostimulators, drug-coated balloon and others). The decisions were brought for ten (10) medical devices.

In January, the Danish Health Authority published new codes for the Health Care Classification System, including eight surgical, three medical codes and three codes for imaging diagnostics. These codes are used to classify procedures in the Danish DRG system.

On November 30, 2018, the DRG-regulating body in Switzerland, SwissDRG, has notified the public that the tariff version of SwissDRG 8.0/2019 has been published.

Changes will be made in sixteen chapters of Nomenclature. In relation to medical technologies and in-vitro diagnostics, the most important changes include creation of new codes for ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, radiology, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, clinical biology and genetic examinations.

Danish Health Data Protection Agency (Sundhedsdatastyrelsen) calls for submission of the proposals for the change of DRG system for 2020 with the deadline of the 1st of February, 2019.

The French National Authority for Health (HAS) regularly publishes new decisions about add-on reimbursement for medical devices. The decisions made in November 2018 concern various types of devices. The decisions were brought for twenty-two (22) medical devices.

Danish National Board of Health has changed the procedure for how professional companies, organizations and healthcare organizations can propose new national screening programs. Proposals can be made only once a year – next time in February 2019.

In late November 2018, the Belgian Healthcare Knowledge Center (KCE) published a report with the title “Optimisation of RIZIV – INAMI lump sums for incontinence.” The primary aim of this report is to analyze the adequacy of the current payment model. The report was requested by the National Institute for Sickness and Disability Insurance (RIZIV-INAMI).