Germany

On October 16, 2025, the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) launched the consultation procedure on a risk-adapted prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and MRI-based screening for the early detection of prostate cancer, in line with §135 SGB V (G-BA Directive on Ambulatory Care Methods; conceptually new diagnostic and therapeutic methods). Public comments may be submitted electronically by November 23, 2025.

On October 8, 2025, the Federal Cabinet approved the draft of a law to adapt the hospital reform. The fundamental objectives of hospital reform remain preserved. Nevertheless, to ensure comprehensive healthcare coverage, additional exemptions and opportunities for cooperation will be introduced for hospitals, allowing the federal states greater flexibility in hospital planning.

The updated German Uniform Evaluation Standard (EBM) catalog came into force on October 1, 2025. The EBM catalog regulates the reimbursement of services in the public outpatient sector in Germany and is updated once a quarter (four times a year). Among other changes, a new code for the “ProHerz” health app was introduced.

On September 17, 2025, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband) announced that they had reached an agreement in financing negotiations concerning outpatient care.

On September 1, 2025, the Institute for Hospital Remuneration Systems (INeK) announced the start of the application process according to §6 (2) KHEntgG (New Examination and Treatment Methods, NUB) for 2026.

On August 13, 2025, the BfArM (Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices) published the preliminary version of the 2026 OPS procedure coding classification. The OPS, together with the ICD-10-GM, forms the basis for the reimbursement systems in outpatient and inpatient care in Germany. The final version of the 2026 OPS procedure coding classification is expected to be published at the end of October 2025.

Between early March 2025 and late August 2025, 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, 58 health apps are currently available in the DiGA Directory, and fourteen health apps were delisted from the Directory.

On July 17, 2025, the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) decided that the use of the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score® test as the sole test for deciding for or against adjuvant systemic chemotherapy will be reimbursed for patients with primary hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer involving one to three lymph nodes. Previously, reimbursement was limited to patients without lymph node involvement.

On July 10, 2025, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) announced that the extended Evaluation Committee has adopted the framework specifications for calculating Hybrid DRGs for 2026.

On June 20, 2025, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) published the determined funding priorities for healthcare research projects (seven topics) and clinical guidelines (three topics).

On July 1, 2025, the revised EBM (German Uniform Evaluation Standard) catalog for the third quarter of 2025 came into force. The main changes introduced concern updates of the contents (services legends, preambles of several EBM subchapters) and the introduction of new EBM codes for the reimbursement of transmitters for telemonitoring and telemedical monitoring of implantable cardiac devices, as well as codes for the services provided within the co-funded study on low-dose pulsed ultrasound for pseudarthrosis.

On May 26, 2025, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) announced that 49 applications for innovation funding of healthcare research projects were accepted.