Vagus nerve stimulation

In April 2022, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published two new Interventional Procedure Guidance (intramedullary distraction for upper limb lengthening, liposuction for chronic lymphoedema). Also, one new clinical guideline on epilepsies in children, young people, and adults was published, and one for stroke and transient ischaemic attack in over 16s was updated.

In March 2022, NHS England and NHS Improvement published the MedTech Funding Mandate (MTFM) policy for 2022/23, which will come into force on April 01, 2022. The MTFM launched in 2021 to support NICE-approved and cost-saving devices, diagnostics, and digital products. Commissioners must fund technologies included in MTFM.

On January 26, 2021, NHS Accelerated Access Collaborative published the MedTech Funding Mandate policy for 2021/22, which will come into force in April 2021. According to the NHS Long Term Plan, introducing a MedTech Funding Mandate will support getting innovative medical devices, diagnostics, and digital products to patients faster. Four technologies will be supported in 2021/22 - HeartFlow FFRCT, gammaCore, SecurAcath, and PIGF-based testing.

More than 50 new DRGs were introduced in the Swedish system in 2019, while two have been deleted. The changes affected nursing care, psychiatry, hospital and day case services of different major disease categories. Important changes relate to cardiac ablation, placement of neurostimulator.

The French National Authority for Health (HAS) published new set of decisions about add-on reimbursement for medical devices in May. They concern pacemakers, orthopedic devices, radiofrequency ablation system, vagus nerve stimulator and some other devices.

The report presents a summary of the reimbursement situation for vagus nerve stimulation. Indications include epilepsy and depression. 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 previous regional guidelines on brain stimulation therapy for advanced Parkinson’s disease, drug-resistant chronic migraine, and drug-resistant epilepsy, published in 2014, have been updated by the Regional Technical Commission for Medical Devices considering the new evidence on the specific groups of patients and some modifications in the indications for use of some devices. Check out indications for different neurostimulator technologies. These recommendations will form the foundation for reimbursement of devices in the region.