ENT

Since March 2025, the Dutch Healthcare Institute (ZIN) has been establishing new standards for vascular surgery and cancer treatment, resulting in the centralization of complex interventions only in hospitals that consistently demonstrate a high volume of such procedures. In November 2025, the seven regions agreed on which hospitals would provide complex cancer and vascular procedures starting in 2026, with a one-year transition period before the new care distribution began on January 1, 2027.

As of October 2025, the Dutch Healthcare Institute (ZIN) is working on coverage positions in several areas, including otorhinolaryngology, neurology, dental surgery, cardiovascular, and oncology fields.

As of October 2025, the Scottish Health Technologies Group is working on health technology assessments in several areas, including diagnostic imaging, e-health, endoscopy, ENT, in-vitro diagnostics, neurology, orthopedics, and robotic surgery procedures.

In August 2025, Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI/RIZIV) updated the List of implants and invasive medical devices. A new sub-chapter for bone conduction hearing systems with nine material codes was introduced. One new material code was added for bipolar radiofrequency endometrial ablation. Two new Nominative lists for brand-specific bone conduction hearing systems were also published. Changes will come into force on September 1, 2025.

In July 2025, the HTA body of Tuscany Regional Healthcare published nine rapid HTA reports (eight new assessments and one reassessment) of medical devices in the ENT, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics, peripheral vascular, and surgical procedures fields.

In the first and second quarters of 2025, the Dutch Healthcare Institute (ZIN) published three coverage positions concerning the ENT, gastrointestinal, and in-vitro diagnostic fields. Two of the three decisions (Internal nasal valve correction for airway blockage and molecular diagnostics of the NTRK gene fusion in cancer patients) received favorable recommendations for coverage under basic health insurance.

On May 13, 2025, the Common Package of Benefits of the Spanish National Health System (NHS) was amended. The med tech-related updates mostly concerned in-vitro diagnostics, gastrointestinal, e-Health, cardiovascular, ENT, ophthalmology, oral health, and neurology fields.

On February 17, 2025, the Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) working group, which develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclatures for private payers in England, published Bulletins 200 and 096 with changes to be implemented no later than March 10, 2025. Thirty-five new procedure codes related to cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, nephrology, peripheral vascular, and general surgery areas and ten new diagnostic codes concerning in-vitro diagnostics, endoscopy, and pulmonology were introduced.

In November 2024, the HTA body of the Tuscany Regional Healthcare published five rapid HTA reports (four new assessments and one reassessment) of medical devices in the cardiovascular, ophthalmology, ENT, and dermatology areas.

On October 10, 2024, the Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) working group, which develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclatures for private payers in England, published Bulletins 198 and 094 with changes to be implemented no later than December 5, 2024. Fifty-two new procedure codes related to ENT, gastrointestinal, men’s health, urology, neurology and neurosurgery, gynecology, orthopedics, robotic surgery, and surgical procedures areas, and two new diagnostic codes were introduced.

In Q3 2024, Health Technology Wales completed three full appraisals with the publication of Evidence Appraisal Report and Guidance (AI for whole slide prostate biopsy images, AI-assisted endoscopy for gastrointestinal cancer, and Floseal in the treatment of epistaxis). Furthermore, 24 Med Tech-related Topic Exploration Reports were published concerning cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, gynecology, e-health, in-vitro diagnostics, and other areas.

On June 19, 2024, the Order SND/606/2024, of June 13, came into force. This Order, among other things, amends Annexes I, II, III, VI, and VII of Royal Decree 1030/2006, of September 15, which establishes the Common Package of Benefits of the National Health System and the procedure for its update. The changes mostly concern in-vitro diagnostics, ENT, pulmonary and airways, cardiovascular, and some other fields.