OBJECTIVES: The Incremental Added Benefit (IAB) has some influence on the pricing of medical devices in France. When a product obtains the IAB level that is claimed, does the same product obtain the price that is claimed by the company? This study aims to identify an existing pattern based on reimbursement data.

METHODS: All medical devices that were listed renewed or changed their listing conditions between 2016 and 2021 were analysed. The IAB and price levels claimed for each of the products were collected respectively from the medico-technical and economic files transmitted by the laboratories prior to their evaluation.

Four indicators were defined: IAB + (the product obtained the claimed IAB level or higher); IAB - (the product obtained a lower IAB level than that claimed); P+ (the product is reimbursed at the claimed price or higher); P- (the product is reimbursed at a lower price than that claimed).

RESULTS: 253 medical devices were included in this analysis including 214 IAB V, 23 IAB IV, 12 IAB III, and 4 IAB II. The distribution according to the indicators is as follows: IAB + / P+: 81,03 % ; IAB + / P- : 1,19 % ; IAB- / P+ : 13 % ; IAB - / P- : 32 %.

CONCLUSIONS: In the sample used, it can be seen that if the level of IAB obtained is the same as that claimed, the registration of a product at the claimed price by the company occurs in 81 % of cases. However, 98,5 % of the products that obtained the claimed IAB, have been listed at the expected price by the company.