Germany

On October 15, 2026, the German Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) announced that the Bundestag had adopted amendments to the Statutory Health Insurance (SHI) Contribution Rate Stabilization Act. A key change concerns the restructuring of reimbursement for outpatient and short-stay inpatient procedures, with Hybrid DRGs set to be abolished from 2028. From 2027, procedures without an overnight stay will transition to regular outpatient reimbursement, while procedures involving an overnight stay will remain under Hybrid DRG tariffs until new short-stay case-based payments are introduced.

On 8 October 2026, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) reported proposed legislative amendments that could fundamentally change reimbursement for short-stay and outpatient procedures in Germany. Under the proposal, the existing Hybrid DRG mechanism would be abolished from 1 January 2028, with short-stay hospital cases reimbursed through a new system of flat-rate payments. Procedures without an overnight stay would transition to reimbursement under the EBM fee schedule from 2027.

On October 1, 2026, the revised EBM (German Uniform Evaluation Standard) catalog for the fourth quarter of 2026 came into force. The EBM catalog is used to reimburse day case and outpatient services under the fee-for-service model. The main changes introduced concern updates to the contents (service legends and preambles of several EBM subchapters) and the introduction of several new EBM codes.

Germany has clarified the timing of the planned expansion of the §137h early benefit assessment. For the current NUB application period, the procedure will continue to apply only to new inpatient methods involving high-risk medical devices. Once the amended G-BA Rules of Procedure take effect, expected from the next application cycle, the assessment will broaden to new methods based on a new theoretical scientific concept and will no longer be limited to high-risk devices.

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 September 1, 2026, the Institute for Hospital Remuneration Systems (INeK) announced the start of the application process under §6(2) KHEntgG (New Examination and Treatment Methods, NUB) for 2027. The application deadline is October 31, 2026.

On August 14, 2026, the BfArM (Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices) published the preliminary version of the 2027 OPS procedure coding classification. The OPS, together with the ICD-10-GM, forms the basis for the reimbursement systems in inpatient and outpatient care in Germany. The preliminary version introduces multiple content updates and new procedure codes.

On July 30, 2026, the Statutory Health Insurance Contribution Rate Stabilization Act (GKV-Beitragssatzstabilisierungsgesetz) entered into force, introducing important changes to the assessment of new examination and treatment methods associated with NUB applications under §137h SGB V.

On June 19, 2026, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) published the determined funding priorities for healthcare research projects and clinical guidelines.

On July 10, 2026, the German Bundestag passed the Statutory Health Insurance (SHI) Contribution Rate Stabilization Act (GKV-Beitragssatzstabilisierungsgesetz). During the parliamentary process, additional fiscal measures were incorporated into the legislation after it was approved by the Federal Cabinet to close the funding gap that had widened in the interim.

On July 15, 2026, the German Federal Cabinet adopted the draft Health Data and Digital Innovation Act (GeDIG). The legislation aims to further integrate the benefits of digitalization into healthcare for both insured individuals and healthcare providers, while expanding opportunities to use health data for research, innovation, and care delivery.

On July 1, 2026, the revised EBM (German Uniform Evaluation Standard) catalog for the third quarter of 2026 came into force. The EBM catalog is used to reimburse day case and outpatient services under the fee-for-service model. The main changes introduced concern updates of the contents (service legends, preambles of several EBM subchapters) and the introduction of several new EBM codes.