Expert group
Market Access
The requirements for research, clinical evidence and marketing authorisation of medical devices are continuously increasing. The process currently lasts up to 10 years, and may require many more before an innovation is incorporated into the corresponding tariff system or adequately reimbursed by compulsory health insurance (OKP). It can take five more years before the costs of a new service are adequately covered in the SwissDRG inpatient percase flat rate system. Furthermore, TARDOC outpatient tariffs have not been updated in years due to deadlocked revision work, and new outpatient models have repeatedly failed due to disagreements between tariff partners and the failing approval by the Federal Council (BR). Rapidly developing digitally supported technologies, in particular, are often inadequately accounted for in the existing tariffs. In the interest of speedy patient access to the latest examination and treatment methods, quick replacement of existing technologies with potentially costsaving, better quality methods, and to protect the innovativeness of Swiss healthcare and strengthen Switzerland as a place for development, research and production, it is essential to improve this process inefficiency.
Who we are
The expert group Market Access brings together member companies of Swiss Medtech and addresses employees with expert knowledge in the fields of market access, reimbursement and Health Technology Assessments (HTA) as well as with knowledge of the regulatory and health policy decision processes. It focuses on efficient authorisation and reimbursement processes for innovations in medical technology.
The four working groups (WG) focus on the following topics:
- WG Reimbursement / Tariffs: Outpatient and inpatient tariffs, EFAS, AvoS
- WG HTA / Quality: Evaluation of existing reimbursement rates, Participation in the HTA process, Qualitylinked tariffs
- WG Digital Technologies: Reimbursement gaps for digital health applications, Remote Monitoring, AI
- WG Robotics: Increased awareness, mapping and differentiation in tariffs
Who can participate
Employees of Swiss Medtech member companies who wish to promote market access of Swiss medical devices. Representatives of all medical fields are welcome in this group with the aim of expanding and diversifying expertise in the EG. New members should incorporate specialist knowledge on remuneration models or basic knowledge on health technology assessments or work in the field of Government Affairs/Public Policy. Five years of related experience and a position in middle management or as a specialist are desirable.
Our goals
- Securing timely patient access to new medical procedures through clearly defined and accelerated mapping processes for innovations in the tariff systems
- Ensuring the quality of treatment and results by helping to shape the relevant quality indicators
- Considering the specific concerns of the medical technology industry in politics
Our activities
- Providing support for tariff revisions
- Participating in the revision of the HTA process «Re-evaluation» by the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) ) and coordination of stakeholder feedback on new HTAs of the FOPH (German: BAG).
- Preparing position papers regarding the reimbursement for digital health applications and the use of robotic assistance systems in surgery