5 Euro practice fee per doctor visit

Economists charge a fee for each visit to a doctor

04/12/2012

The German Society for Health Economics (DGGÖ) advocates the extension of the practice fee, while Federal Health Minister Daniel Bahr and Hesse's Social Minister Stefan Grüttner want to enforce a complete abolition. According to the DGGÖ, the practice fee should be reduced from ten to five euros, but payable on every visit to the doctor.

Practice fee should amount to five euros per doctor visit
In addition, the DGGÖ proposes to abolish the additional payment for the first 28 days in the hospital in the amount of 10 euros each. This is superfluous in the opinion of the company. The proposed measures hope that the health economists, which include the chairman of the DGGÖ Friedrich Breyer and Jürgen Wasem of the University of Duisburg, a reduction in physician visits, because they are in international comparison in Germany with an average of 17 visits to the doctor per year very often.

Breyer is of the opinion that the copayment system in the statutory health insurance urgently needs to be revised. „Co-payments should not simply relieve the health insurance companies, but control the behavior of the insured in the direction of thrift“, he told the Ärzteblatt. The health economist advocates charging additional fees only where the patient decides decisively whether he wants to consult a doctor. The experts expect the introduction of five euros at each visit to the doctor, the abolition of 10 euros per quarter and the hospital payment totaling 2.4 billion euros. So far it was 2.2 billion euros. In addition, the economists expect a decrease in doctor visits of ten percent.

Federal Health Minister calls for abolition of the practice fee
From the ranks of the health politicians, however, the proposals are sometimes heavily criticized. For example, Hesse's Social Minister Stefan Grüttner demands the complete abolition of the practice fee, since it has no control effect and the bureaucratic effort of the doctors increases enormously. Federal Health Minister Daniel Bahr (FDP) also publicly supports the abolition of the fee. He also demands the distribution of the surplus in the health fund as premiums of the statutory health insurance companies to its members. Thus, the insured could also benefit from the positive financial development. According to Bahr, many health insurance companies could pay out corresponding premiums to their members. Currently, however, only nine health insurance companies would work on premium payments. (Ag)

Also read:
Bahr calls for abolition of practice fees
DGB: practice fee should be abolished
Private funds are no longer acceptable
Health insurance: What changes 2016351a2cc0b08c03> Image: Thommy Weiss