No New CHOP-Applications in Switzerland Until 2028 – Implications for MedTech Market Access

The CHOP (Schweizerische Operationsklassifikation) is Switzerland’s official classification system for surgical procedures and inpatient treatments, maintained by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Last Friday, the FSO announced that due to federal budget cuts, the CHOP versions for 2026 and 2027 will not accept any new proposals or updates. Instead, they will rely entirely on existing applications from previous years.
-> Sistierung des BFS Antragsverfahrens 2025 zur Weiterentwicklung der CHOP und der schweizerischen Kodierrichtlinien - | Publikation

This marks a significant shift: until now, manufacturers could submit CHOP applications annually to ensure appropriate coding and reimbursement for new technologies. Based on the current situation, the next possible opportunity to obtain a dedicated code for innovations will be CHOP 2028.

In addition, Switzerland continues to use the German ICD-10, which is only updated every three years.

This update comes just as Switzerland is opening up to FDA-approved medical devices with a fast-track approach to market access. However, the lack of CHOP coding opportunities means many of these innovations may now face delays or obstacles in securing appropriate reimbursement—unless existing codes happen to apply.

At inspiring-health, we help manufacturers navigate the Swiss healthcare system not just in terms of regulation, but also with pricing, coding, and reimbursement strategies.

With CHOP access limited, it’s more important than ever to develop robust, evidence-based submissions to hospitals or payers to support budget negotiations. We support you in creating the right documentation and strategy to maintain reimbursement potential—even without a dedicated CHOP code.

Let’s talk about how these changes may affect your product—and how we can help you stay on track in Switzerland:
👉 https://www.inspiring-health.de/en/market-access-medical-device.html