Use of a stent retriever to treat vasospasm of cerebral arteries after subarachnoid hemorrhage is being evaluated for early benefit assessment in Germany

On February 17, 2022, the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) has decided to include the method of matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte implantation (M-ACI) on the knee joint in the case of symptomatic cartilage damage in the lists of reimbursed procedures in the hospital and ambulatory settings.

On February 16, 2022, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) has published the decisions which recommended the transfer to standard care for three completed projects. The projects relate to the prevention of antibiotic resistance, improvement of healthcare in socially disadvantaged areas, and misuse of control colonoscopies in Germany.

On February 08, 2022, the Reimbursement Commission of the Social Security Institution released an updated version of the Healthcare Implementation Communique. The main changes relate to the increase in reimbursement fees of services and medical devices by approximately 35-75%.

On February 14, 2022, the Danish Treatment Council (Behandlingsråd), a new body for assessing treatments and health technologies that became fully operational in late May 2021, has announced its symposium, which will take place in Aalborg on May 11, 2022.

In February 2022, two 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, thirty health apps are now available at the DiGA Directory.