Genetic tests

On September 3, 2026, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) announced an increase in funding for human genetic diagnostic services reimbursed through the EBM catalog. The decision was adopted by the Evaluation Committee following the completion of its annual review of the volume of development in human genetic services.

On July 16, 2026, NHS England updated the 2026/27 National Genomic Test Directory (NGTD), initially published in April 2026. The directory lists genomic tests commissioned by NHS England and provided through Genomic Laboratory Hubs. One new test was added to the directory for haematological oncology. Three new multi-target NGS panels, including one ctDNA (liquid biopsy), were added to the directory for non-CNS cancers for carcinoma of unknown primary origin.

On June 11, 2026, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) announced a number of changes to the reimbursement of human genetics tests to be introduced as of October 1, 2026. The package of changes includes, among other measures, a reduction in the reimbursement values for human genetic services and the introduction of additional volume-based reimbursement reductions at the practice level. These measures are intended to reduce expenditure on human genetic tests by 31%.

In April 2026, the French Ministry of Health published an update to the 2026 List of Innovative Procedures Outside the Nomenclature (LAHN), which includes innovative IVD tests temporarily funded under the RIHN framework. The update introduced two new “duplicative” codes in the field of cytogenetics that are exempt from the tariff reduction mechanism.

On April 20, 2026, the Common Package of Benefits of the Spanish National Health System was amended (by Order SND/356/2026, of April 13, 2026). The key changes relate to diagnostic imaging, in-vitro diagnostics, obstetrics and gynecology, and some other fields.

On April 8, 2026, NHS England published the 2026/27 National Genomic Test Directory. The key update concerns hematological and neurological cancers, for which separate files were published with a significant restructure: new genomic test (GT) codes were introduced, gathered into new clinically relevant test packages (TP), and mapped to existing M-codes. Furthermore, multiple changes were made in the rare and inherited diseases directory, including the addition of several new codes.

In April 2026, the Canary Islands Healthcare Evaluation Service is working on several HTAs, including evaluations in e-health, IVD, neuromodulation, obstetrics and gynecology, and some other fields.

On March 26, 2026, NHS England published the final version of the 2026/27 NHS Payment Scheme, effective from April 1, 2026. While the overall payment model remains largely unchanged, several targeted updates have been introduced. These include new blended payments for urgent and emergency care, radiotherapy, and genomic testing, as well as two new Best Practice Tariffs (BPTs) to incentivize day case procedures and support 10 Year Health Plan referral-to-treatment (RTT) priorities.

On January 13, 2026, a new version of the Nomenclature of Medical Biology Procedures (NABM 101) was published in France. A new chapter for constitutional genetics was introduced, including two new codes.

In January 2026, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) published details of EquipoISE, a new framework to help evaluate whether multiple additional rare conditions could be added to the UK Newborn Blood Spot (NBS) Screening Programme. EquipoISE is designed as a rolling multi-condition in-service evaluation that works within the existing NHS screening pathway to answer key questions about test performance, clinical outcomes, and feasibility in real-world NHS settings.

On December 31, 2025, the Ministry of Health, Family, Autonomy, and People with Disabilities published a Decree, amending the conditions of temporary coverage for innovative IVD tests via the RIHN framework (included in the List of Innovative Procedures Outside the Nomenclature, LAHN). Changes include extending the maximum duration of transitional coverage from five to nine years and lowering the annual tariff reductions from 20% to 10%. The LAHN 2026 was also released, reflecting the changes introduced by a Decree.

In December 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in England released three Med Tech-related assessments in its HTA Journal, which concerned endoscopic treatments for obesity, whole-genome sequencing for rare diseases in newborn screening, and a tele-ophthalmology-enabled and artificial intelligence-ready referral pathway for community optometry referrals of retinal disease.