On December 16, 2021, the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) announced the start of the procedure concerning a co-funded study in accordance with §137e of the Social Code Book V (SGB V) for a low-intensity pulsed ultrasound for the treatment of pseudarthroses.

In December 2021, NHSX announced that the new elective recovery tech fund would support over 400 innovative digital technologies. The fund has been established to help NHS organizations accelerate the uptake of digitally supported elective care. Up to £250 million has been made available to Integrated Care Systems as a part of a £700 million Targeted Investment Fund intended to speed up elective recovery and tackle waiting lists.

On December 20, 2021, the tariff partners of the novel TARDOC reimbursement system for outpatient care (association of health insurers curafutura and association of physicians, FMH) re-submitted the substantially revised version 1.3 of TARDOC to the Federal Council. The tariff partners hope that the Federal Council will assess the new reimbursement system in the first quarter of 2022 and that it could be implemented from January 2023.

In late December 2021, five new in-vitro diagnostics tests, including one test for COVID-19 spike protein antibodies determination, were added to the Laboratory Test Nomenclature (Laboratoriotutkimusnimikkeistö) in Finland.

In mid-December 2021, the Danish Health Data Agency (Sundhedsstyrelsen) published the Health Care Classification System (Sundheds-væsenets Klassifikations System, SKS). The most significant changes include: 41 new diagnosis codes and 21 procedure codes were added. The newly added procedure codes concern mainly spine area and orthopedic procedures.

In December 2021, the Swedish Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency (TLV) finished the theme survey in the obstructive pulmonary diseases field, which was conducted as a part of the Orderly Introduction for Medical Technologies framework. Identified technologies could potentially be included in the Orderly Introduction of Medical Technologies framework, which aims to facilitate the introduction of novel technologies on the national level.

On December 15, 2021, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) has announced that seventeen applications for Innovation Funding of the new forms of care were accepted.

The Dutch Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) will accept applications for subsidies under the "Early Detection" sub-program until March 8, 2022. This scheme is intended for upscaling screening programs or population screening.

The French Ministry of Solidarity and Health constantly announces the new experiments initiated under Article 51 of the Social Security Financing Act. These experiments are focused on various topics concerning medical technologies and the organization of care. At the end of December 2021, new experiments were announced which relate to coordinated care of patients with long-term illnesses, telerehabilitation program for patients with COPD, care pathway for patients suffering from lymphedema, surgery for pterygium, and others.

The Council for Choices in Health Care in Finland (PALKO) has initiated the development of recommendations concerning companion diagnostic tests. The respective preparations were completed in November 2021.

In early December 2021, the Danish Health Authority (Sundhedsdatastyrelsen) has published DRG tariffs, as well as psychiatric and rehabilitation rates for 2022. Later on, in mid-December 2021, the DRG tariff system (Takstsystem) guide for 2022 was also published. Among other changes, seven new DRGs, specifically in ENT, endoscopy, obstetrics, and gynecology fields, were introduced.

In December 2021, three more health apps were introduced in the Directory of digital health applications (DiGAs) at the Federal Office for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) and thus became reimbursable. These apps can be prescribed by physicians and psychotherapists and will be reimbursed by health insurers. In total, 27 health apps are now available at the DiGA Directory.