REPORT: Overview of Medical Device Reimbursement Systems in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)

The Coalition of CEE Medical Device National Associations has published a new report, “Overview of Medical Device Reimbursement Systems in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE),” providing a comparative analysis of reimbursement frameworks in Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. The report aims to support policy discussions on improving patient access to safe, effective, and innovative medical technologies across the region.

Common Challenges Across the Region

Although healthcare systems differ in their structure and financing models, the report identifies several challenges shared by most CEE countries:

Limited and fragmented reimbursement pathways for innovative medical technologies;
Lengthy administrative procedures delaying patient access to new devices;
Outdated hospital financing mechanisms that do not adequately reflect the cost of modern treatments;
Regional inequalities in access to healthcare services and medical technologies;
Insufficient support for digital health solutions and mobile medical applications.

High Out-of-Pocket Costs Remain a Major Concern

The report reveals significant differences in patient financial participation across the region. While countries such as Croatia maintain relatively low out-of-pocket spending, Bulgaria remains one of the EU countries with the highest patient co-payments for medical devices, creating substantial barriers to access and contributing to healthcare inequalities.

Innovation Often Struggles to Reach Patients

Medical technology is developing at an unprecedented pace, yet reimbursement systems are frequently unable to keep up. Several countries, including Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia, still lack dedicated pathways for reimbursing digital health solutions and mobile medical devices. The introduction of high-value technologies often depends on lengthy decision-making processes and budget constraints, slowing down patient access to innovative treatments.

Key Recommendations

The report highlights several priorities for policymakers and healthcare stakeholders across Central and Eastern Europe:

Increase transparency and predictability in reimbursement decisions;
Strengthen health technology assessment (HTA) frameworks tailored specifically to medical devices;
Promote value-based procurement models and outcome-driven financing mechanisms;
Modernize hospital reimbursement systems to better reflect the costs of innovative technologies;
Support digital transformation and align national systems with new EU HTA requirements.

A Shared Vision for Better Access to Medical Technologies

The authors emphasize that effective healthcare systems require regulatory and reimbursement frameworks that ensure patient safety while remaining flexible enough to accommodate innovation. By comparing national approaches and sharing best practices, the report provides valuable insights that can help strengthen medical device financing systems and improve patient access across Central and Eastern Europe.

Read the full report below.

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