AOK and politics Doctors work too little

Do doctors work too little? Federal Minister of Health wants to take action against too long waiting times at medical specialists

04/09/2011

The future chairman of the Federal Association of AOK accuses the practice doctors to spend too little time for statutory insured. The Federal Ministry of Health is currently preparing a change to the law, so that waiting times for health insurance patients are reduced under threat of fee reductions for the resident physicians.

As previously reported, a survey among GPs and specialists on behalf of the Federal Association of the General Local Health Insurance AOK found that general practitioners established 47 hours and specialists only 39 hours a week for legally insured. With the Kassenärztlichen associations, however, a fee calculation of 51 hours for cash patients was used as a basis. The designated AOK Federal Board Jürgen Graalmann criticized the medical profession, after all, the doctors would spend too little working hours for legally insured patients, although they receive the full allowances. Graalmann sees this as the main reason for the sometimes long waiting times for specialist appointments.

The Federal Ministry of Health has now joined the ongoing debate. The Minister of Health Daniel Bahr (FDP) is currently preparing a bill, which provides, among other things, to threaten doctors with salary losses, if they appoint the appointment for cash patients oversized. Federal Health Minister Bahr said „NDR info“, he wanted to "act against unfounded and unjustified waiting times." The black-yellow coalition is currently discussing various proposals, as a spokesman for the ministry confirmed to the radio station. "The appointment of appointments with specialists is becoming more and more difficult in practice", as stated in the new draft law on medical care.

Waiting times for patients arise when general practitioners refer their patients to specialists. If the waiting times are too long, the patient must „the last remedy in the future will allow outpatient treatment in a clinic“, as the bill says. However, this would result in additional costs for the health system. The Federal Ministry of Health therefore plans to charge the additional costs to the Kassenärztlichen associations. Likewise, the increased administrative burden is to be borne by the medical associations as a lump sum. In practice, this would mean that, for physicians in private practice, their fees would be much lower in the future because the responsible associations of statutory health insurance companies had less financial resources available.

The future head of the AOK had called on the medical representatives to ensure that the agreed contracts are met, since the insured with their contributions finally pay the full benefits. However, Graalmann excluded his intention to curtail his side.

Not only the AOK, but also the Federal Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV) had repeatedly complained that especially specialists favor private patients in the appointment. Partly cash patients have to wait weeks for a specialist appointment. Politicians now want to take more targeted action against the unequal treatment of patients. The medical profession had rejected all allegations on the weekend. After all, doctors would spend more hours than getting paid. (Sb)

Also read:
AOK: Established doctors work too little
GKV calls for closure of 12,000 medical practices
Doctor appointments: Cash patients are disadvantaged
Barely useful additional services at the doctor
High dissatisfaction in patients

Image: Thommy Weiss