Temporary clearance for doctors

Health insurance companies call for the granting of temporary health insurance for doctors to address the shortage of doctors in rural areas and social hot spots.

23/04/2011

The health insurance companies criticize the too high density of doctors in the cities, while patient representatives and medical associations speak of a veritable shortage of doctors in rural areas. Both arguments actually reflect the German reality. While a doctor's office advertises patients in almost every corner of the city, rural residents often have to travel long distances to seek medical treatment. In order to combat the inequality, health insurances propose a systematic redistribution: If physicians in private practice give up their doctor's practice, the authorization should also cease to exist. Neumediziner should no longer get the opportunity to inherit a cash from the predecessor in the view of the cash registers.

Inheritance of cash approvals should be prevented
For decades, established physicians can claim a special privilege. Those who retire or otherwise orient themselves professionally can pass on or sell their certificate of approval to an advancing colleague. It would go to the will of the statutory health insurance, it should soon be over. Who gives up his doctor's office should also lose his Kassenärztliche approval. The amendment aims to reduce the number of practices in the cities and increase rural supply.

Reduced fees in cities with high medical density
Anyone who wishes to establish himself as a doctor in a larger city with a high supply density should, according to the will of the Central Association of Health Insurance Funds, be reduced the fees together. Both measures should encourage physicians to settle in underserved areas. There is a real under-supply, especially in rural areas and social hot spots.

Previous attempts were unsuccessful
Opposite the citizen of Berlin newspaper justified the deputy chairman of the federation of the health insurance companies, Johann Magnus von Stackelberg, the targeted cuts. After all, all attempts of the Federal Government have so far been unsuccessful. "All efforts of the black-yellow coalition to win more land physicians, fizzle completely ineffective, if the problem of oversupply is not addressed," the vice-boss told the newspaper. If the federal government does not include the proposed changes in the new pension law, the changes to the law will inevitably lead to higher costs. If the costs in the healthcare system increase, the higher expenses must be passed on to the insured persons in the form of higher cash contributions.

No shortage but medical surplus
In contrast to the statements from the FDP, there can be no question of a lack of doctors. There is only one regional distribution problem. „We have too many in 25,000 doctors in over-supplied areas and too few in 800 in doctors' offices.“ Therefore, the cuts in medical fees should also ensure that over-provisioned areas for doctors become unattractive. The run on the cities must be contained, „otherwise we will never win doctors for rural care“, from Stackelberg on.

Changes should affect new doctors
However, the new regulations should apply only to doctors who have acquired a cash register after a change in the legal situation. Physicians who already have an approval today should not be affected by this. „We do not want to dispossess anyone, "said Florian Lanz, spokesman for the national health insurance association.

On the part of the FDP, however, there are only rejections for such ideas. The physician and Federal Health Minister Philipp Rösler strictly rejects it, doctors in metropolitan areas „worse off“. In a coalition-internal compromise could only be negotiated that the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians can in the future easier to buy back licenses. Between 1993 and 2009, the number of physicians rose from 104,600 to 137,400. Therefore, there is no question of a shortage of doctors. (Sb)

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Image: Thommy Weiss