Angela Merkel considers abolition of the practice fee

Chancellor Angela Merkel reflects on the abolition of practice fees

13/10/2012

Because there are billions of surpluses in the health fund and individual health insurance companies begin to reimburse the practice fee to their insured persons, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) thinks about the abolition of the practice fees. Voices of the coalition partner FDP and the opposition have been calling for the abolition of fees for quite some time.

Will the practice fees be abolished during this legislative period? Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said: „The Chancellor is currently thinking intensively about the arguments put forward“. The Chancellor wanted to do this „to give an overall picture in the healthcare sector“. On the question of journalists, whether Angela Merkel „continues to reject the abolition of practice fees required by the FDP“, said Seibert, „Currently there is a review of the arguments presented“.

In this context, once again calls for the Federal Ministry of Health under the chairmanship of the Minister Daniel Bahr (FDP), a rapid abolition of fees. „There is no reason to stick to it in our view“, said the Minister of Health Christian Albrecht. The fees are rather „ruined“ and it's a positive signal, „that, after the KKH alliance, the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), the second largest health fund in Germany, will reimburse the insured for the practice fee under certain conditions“.

Jens Spahn, health spokesman for the Union's Covenant faction, had previously announced that there would be no changes with the CDU / CSU. In an interview with the radio station „Germany radio culture“, stressed Spahn, that the billions surpluses of the health insurance one „Treasure we should beware of bad times, instead of spraying it and then wake up with a hangover someday“. The Federal Association of General Local Health Insurance Funds (AOK) is against revising the fees introduced in 2004. Instead, should „the surpluses will be used for structural reforms“.

On the part of the opposition, the abolition of practice fees is vehemently demanded. For SPD General Secretary Andrea Nahles rich „Do not check the location“. The Chancellor and coalition partner should, according to Words Nahles „finally come to Potte“. There must be a legal regulation for „Abolition of the practice fee ago, so that all insured persons can profit from the financial plus with the health insurance companies“.

Katja Kipping, Co-Chair of the Group „The left“ was upset. „Schwarz-Gelb has blocked an application to abolish the practice fee in the health committee since the spring. Now that's over, "Kipping said „WAZ“. In November, the Bundestag will vote on the abolition, so Kipping. In order to achieve that, the Left wants to put their proposal back on the agenda. Then „The FDP has to decide whether it is closer to the citizens or their ministerial chairs, "Kipping argued.

Practice fee has missed its point
For every first doctor's contact in the quarter statutory insured persons must pay a fee of 10 euros. The practice fees were introduced in 2004 as part of the health care reform, which increased by the number of „to reduce unnecessary medical visits“. Due to the extra charge, the health insurances take about 2 billion euros more per year. A study showed that the practice fee missed its true meaning. Sick people go despite fee to the doctor, the number of doctor contacts could not be significantly reduced.

The KKH alliance announced from 2013 the practice fees for its insured „de facto abolish“. Treasury CEO Ingo Kailuweit criticized that „Practice fee charged unilaterally become ill insured“. In addition, the fee does not have any control mechanisms. „It's not fair“, so Kailuweit. Therefore, the KKH alliance does not want to wait until the legislature „For inspection, the practice fees get abolished“.

Shortly thereafter, the Board of Directors of Techniker Kasse also decided to pay its members the premium payment from the beginning of the year and to reimburse the practice fee under certain conditions. Thus, each contributing TK cashier receives a premium for the period between May and December 2013. Does a member have fewer contribution months?, „so a proportionate refund will take place“. However, members are excluded from this rule if they are in arrears.

The TK cash management chairman Jens Baas said that the TK will pay back about 500 million euros to the cash-patients. If, in addition, insured persons take part in health courses, preventive care programs or screening tests, premium payments of up to 60 euros can be made.

The Hanseatische Krankenkasse (HEK) announced a premium of 75 euros as a third fund. The payment will be transferred to each contributing member, regardless of the length of membership on May 1, 2013. The board of directors decided unanimously. With the premium, the annual surpluses are paid out to the 300,000 contributing members. Family members who are insured are not reimbursed. (Sb)

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Picture: Alexander Hauk