The German Medical Association has sharply criticized the draft bill for the planned Statutory Health Insurance Contribution Rate Stabilization Act. President Dr. Klaus Reinhardt accused the federal government of pushing through a 150-page austerity law with far-reaching consequences for patient care, insured persons and employees with an extremely short consultation period of only four days over a weekend.

With all understanding for the need for action, speed should not take precedence over thoroughness in such an important project, Reinhardt explained before today’s hearing in the Federal Ministry of Health. The planned measures are one of the most comprehensive savings laws for statutory health insurance in decades.

The medical profession is particularly critical of the fact that the complete refinancing of health insurance contributions for citizen benefit recipients from the federal budget was not included in the draft. This is a “lack of appreciation” for the insured and those working in the health care system, who instead have to bear the solidarity benefit through savings, fee cuts and intensification of services.

Reinhardt called for sufficient time to carefully analyse the consequences of all planned measures for patient care and their interactions with other reform projects such as the primary care system, the new regulation of emergency care and hospital reform. In the further parliamentary proceedings, the medical profession will pay very close attention to whether those affected are seriously involved or whether it is a mere alibi event. The acceptance of the reform depends largely on real involvement.

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Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

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