Diagnostics Experts Meet in Munich

The members of the Working Group on Diagnostics met in Munich on 15 November 2010 during BIO-Europe. After being welcomed by the chairman of the working group, Erwin Soutschek, they learned about the latest developments in laboratory reform. The reform originally envisaged the abolition of the billing option for innovative tests via the “similar examinations” in chapter 32 of the Standardised Medical Fee Scale. As a result of strong criticism, only one compulsory justification was initially introduced for “similar examinations” in the middle of the year. The justifications to be provided by laboratory doctors are to be regularly evaluated by the Council of Statutory Health Insurance (GKW-Spitzenverband) and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in order to identify examinations that can be better described via specific fee codes, as well as to detect obsolete examinations, which are to be listed in Appendix 4 of the Standardised Medical Fee Scale (laboratory services that cannot or can no longer be charged to the statutory health insurance).

Involvement in shaping the programme of the 2011 Biotechnology Days and in PerMediCon next year was also discussed. A sub-working group was set up to deal with the implementation of the suggestions.

In addition, Dieter Beule from MicroDiscovery informed those present about the latest changes to the regulations and norms in the field of in-vitro diagnostics software.

BIO Deutschland members are welcome to request a copy of the minutes of the meeting from the association’s office.