Paving the way for German hospital reform
Published: Friday, Nov 22nd 2024, 14:10
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The Federal Council in Berlin clears the way for the controversial German hospital reform.
The state parliament passed the law for a fundamental reorganization of hospitals in Germany, which was passed by the "traffic light" coalition of SPD, FDP and Greens in the Bundestag.
An appeal to the joint mediation committee with the Bundestag did not receive the necessary majority. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach's reform can therefore be implemented. It is intended to reduce financial pressure on clinics and enforce more specialization.
Law to take effect in several years
The law is due to come into force on January 1, 2025, but the new structure will only be implemented over several years until 2029, meaning that it will not be immediately noticeable for patients. The network of 1,700 hospitals is also likely to become smaller. Many hospitals have been struggling for some time with financial difficulties, unoccupied beds and staff shortages. The federal states and the hospital sector had also called for bridging funding for hospitals until the reform takes effect.
New remuneration system planned
Essentially, the current remuneration system with flat rates for treatment cases is to be changed. In future, clinics are to receive 60 percent of their remuneration simply for providing certain services. This is intended to eliminate incentives for more and more cases and interventions, some of which are not medically optimal.
New "service groups" are therefore also to form the basis for financing by the health insurance funds. They are intended to describe hospital treatments more precisely and ensure uniform national quality standards - for example in terms of specialist staff or treatment experience. A "transformation fund" worth billions is also to be set up to provide financial support for the reorganization.
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