Andorra to Launch New Medical Procedure Classification System in May

The Andorran Ministry of Health plans to launch a new classification system for medical and surgical procedures this May, aiming to modernise an outdated nomenclature and align costs with current practices.

Health Minister Helena Mas described the existing system as obsolete, despite point updates in 2003 and a broader review in 2014. Speaking to the Andorran News Agency, she emphasised that the changes target the classification framework itself, particularly categories K and Q, which cover diagnostic tests and surgical acts. "All the procedures doctors perform need a name that truly matches what they do," Mas stated.

Key updates will refine how procedures are described. Single acts, such as an ultrasound previously treated as one unit, can now break down into up to a dozen sub-procedures, each with its own coding, complexity level and specific cost. "What was once described as a single act may now split into several sub-acts for more accurate coding," she explained. This approach reflects technological advances and new techniques that have shortened intervention times—for instance, tasks once taking an hour can now finish in ten minutes.

The reform unfolded in two phases. First, specialists from up to 16 fields outlined changes in clinical practice. The government now assesses economic values to set final tariffs. "We're now determining the value and tariff for everything we've described," Mas noted.

She called the initiative very important and far-reaching, as it will match coding to today's healthcare reality, boost system precision and tie fees to actual procedure costs.