Diagnostic endoscopic procedures on the lower gastrointestinal tract

In April 2019, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published two new interventional procedure guidance for endoscopic ablation for an anal fistula and a pilonidal sinus, and two new MedTech innovation briefings for urine test for detecting bladder cancer in people with symptoms associated with malignancy and imaging software designed to help clinicians to diagnose and stage liver disease.

The report presents a summary of reimbursement situation for diagnostic endoscopic procedures on the lower gastrointestinal tract for benign and malignant diseases in outpatient settings. The following procedures will be considered: colonoscopy, rectoscopy, anoscopy. 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 Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) group develop and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclature for private payers in England. New diagnostic codes concern circulating tumor DNA profile for the different type of cancers, myriad Prolaris test, PET Scan with florbetapir, etc. and a procedure code for robotic-assisted radical hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy. The codes are introduced with a recommended adoption date being the 1st of May 2019. The documents also contain a list of textual changes in codes and an updated list of unacceptable combinations of codes.

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.

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.

The 13 innovations joining the NHS Innovation Accelerator were announced on March 5, 2019, as part of an event to launch the fourth year of this award-winning national accelerator.

With a regional decree of March 7, 2019, Tuscany Regional Healthcare has published assessments of seventeen medical devices belonging to various therapeutic areas.

The report presents a summary of reimbursement situation for capsule endoscopy in ambulatory settings. Indications include gastrointestinal bleeding, Crohn's disease, malignant neoplasm of small intestine and celiac disease. 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.

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.

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.

In mid-June 2018, the Spanish Network of Agencies for Assessing National Health System Technologies and Performance (REDETS) has published a report which analyzes transbronchial lung biopsy using cryoprobes in diffused lung diseases.

At the beginning of June 2018, the Federal Department of Home Affairs published an update of the Services Ordinance (Ordinanza sulle prestazioni, OPre). This update concerns many different fields, including the list of laboratory tests.

Starting with 19th of June, 2018, HIV self-test kits can be bought in pharmacies and druggists all over Switzerland.

Report includes analysis for the following procedures: radiofrequency ablation, endoscopic plication and suturing, injection of bulking agents and endoscopic augmentation of the lower esophageal sphincter using hydrogel implants. 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-May 2018, the Andalusian Agency for Health Technology Evaluation, AETSA, has published a structured summary on 18F-FDG PET in the early diagnosis of degenerative diseases of the central nervous system.

In late April 2018, AETSA, the Andalusian Agency for Health Technology Assessment, has published a report with the update of evidence regarding prognostic genomic tests in early breast cancer in Spain.

In mid-April 2018, the Basque HTA body (OSTEBA) has published recommendations of the clinical practice guidelines and use of the immunological faecal occult blood test for patients with symptoms compatible with colorectal cancer.

In November 2017, the Andalusian Agency for Health Technology Assessment (AETSA) published an evaluation report (assessed within literature review) on the utility of exome sequencing for diagnosed dysmorphic syndromes.

The Clinical Coding and Schedule Development Group develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclature for private payers in England. In November new codes for reconstruction of breast, open adnexectomy, transoral laser microsurgery and surgical correction of hallux valgus were added to the CCSD Schedule.

The Clinical Coding and Schedule Development Group develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclature for private payers in England. Several codes were added to both procedural and diagnostic Schedules, including procedures on spine and endoscopy procedure.

HAS published updated program that defines priority areas of work for 2017, including evidence review as part of developing new procedure codes for robotic surgery, endoscopic procedures, and technology assessments of remote monitoring, dialysis, coronary stents and others.

In second two weeks of May, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published two Medtech Innovation Briefings (collagen paste for anal fistulae and portable pulse‑echo ultrasound device to assist diagnosis of osteoporosis) one Interventional Procedure Guidance for endoscopic full thickness removal of non-lifting colonic polyps.

Changes will be made in nine chapters of Nomenclature. In relation to medical technologies and in-vitro diagnostics, the most important changes include changes in conditions for two ophthalmology and endoscopy codes, new conditions for reimbursement of photodynamic therapy in dermatology, introduction of two new codes for IVDs, and creating of requirements for reimbursement of number of IVD tests in pregnancy.

Three mini-HTAs were published since beginning of 2017: procalcitonin for diagnostic of bacterial infections, Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) for achalasia, and use of the Prosigna test (PAM50 ROR) for decisions on adjuvant treatment in breast cancer. These assessments can support introduction of methods at local hospital level in Norway.