On December 16, 2022, a decision of the National Union of Health Insurance Funds (UNCAM) relating to the update of the NABM Nomenclature for IVD tests was published in the Official Journal of the French Republic. Various changes were introduced, including the inclusion of new codes, modifications of the existing ones, and tariff changes.

On December 19, 2022, NHS Digital released HRG4+ Consultation Grouper for 2023/24 to support NHS England’s consultation process for the 2023/25 NHS Payment Scheme. There are no new HRGs or other significant changes in the 2023/24 Consultation Grouper. Local Payment Grouper will supersede Consultation Grouper in March 2023 for use from April 1, 2023.

In the second half of December 2022, the Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment (OSTEBA) released a report aiming to evaluate mitral valve repair surgery as an alternative to mitral valve replacement.

We are looking for experienced health economists and systematic reviewers with a proven track record of publishing results of health economic analysis or systematic literature reviews to work with our team during the high-demand periods on a project-based (freelance) basis.

The Belgian healthcare system is gradually moving from a disease-management approach to a more person-centered integrated care approach. On December 19, 2022, the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) announced the extension of funding for integrated care pilot projects for the next two years. These projects are carried out in the context of a new inter-federal plan for integrated care.

On December 19, 2022, the Dutch Healthcare Institute (ZIN) published the updated list of medical procedures reimbursed under basic health insurance with restrictions or limitations. The procedures that were newly introduced to the list concern gynecological and surgical procedures, as well as interventional radiology.

In late December 2022, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) published a detailed overview of the changes in the reimbursement of outpatient surgeries to be introduced in Germany in 2023, which are aimed at expanding the utilization of these procedures by physicians.

In December 2022, the Norwegian Directorate of Health published the final version of the DRG system (Innsatsstyrt finansiering, ISF) for 2023. Eight new DRGs concerning endocrinology, surgical procedures, infection diseases, genetics, and the general area will be added in 2023.

In December 2022, NHS England published an update of the Specialized Services Policy Pipeline (as of December 6, 2022). No new MedTech-related Clinical Commissioning Policies were added to the work program, and three new policies were published in the period from September 6, 2022, to December 6, 2022. The status of ongoing policies was updated as well.

On November 30, 2022, the entity managing the DRG system in Switzerland, SwissDRG, has published the final version of the 2023 DRG system. In total, 21 new DRGs were introduced, and they concern cardiovascular, ENT, gastrointestinal, gynecology, neurovascular, pulmonary, and some other technology groups. Also, three new add-on reimbursement categories were introduced.

In mid-December 2022, the Danish Health Data Agency (Sundhedsdatastyrelsen) published an update of the Health Care Classification System (Sundheds-væsenets Klassifikations System, SKS). The most significant changes include: 11 new diagnosis codes, 27 new procedure codes, and eight additional codes (Tillægskoder) were added. The newly added procedure codes mainly concern the obstetrics and gynecology, surgical procedures, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and radiology fields, and some other technology groups.

On December 2, 2022, the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) launched the electronic application portal for digital nursing care applications (DiPAs). It provides the possibility to submit applications for the inclusion of DiPAs in the DiPA Directory. The Directory will be launched by BfArM as soon as the first DiPA is accepted for inclusion.