CSU criticism of reimbursement Rösler fights back

CSU criticism of reimbursement - Federal Health Minister Philipp Rösler defends himself and rejects the criticism of a "three-class medicine".

The Federal Minister of Health Philipp Rösler (FDP) must defend his previous steps and other plans for health care reform not only against the massive criticism from the outside, he comes also from the side of the CSU from increasingly under pressure. The aim of the criticism is the advance payment at the doctor's visit.

CSU rejects increased introduction of reimbursement instruments
In connection with the recent plans for prepayment at the doctor of the CSU health expert Johannes Singhammer in an interview with the Frankfurter Rundschau stressed: .„Reimbursement is and remains an exceptional case in the statutory health insurance“ and adds that CSU strictly rejects privatization of statutory health insurance. In his view, people with such proposals are only unnecessarily unsettled and the reimbursement would also lose the statutory insurance important and proven instruments of expenditure control.

Rösler resists criticism from ranks of the governing coalition
Rösler defends itself against the attacks from its own ranks and lets announce over its spokesman that in the plans for reimbursement in the statutory health insurance the „Reimbursement (...) always to be voluntary (will), as it already is today“. It should be the insured only „more real choices“ be offered. Thus, reimbursement instruments would create more transparency in the health system and strengthen the position of the patients towards the doctors, it was said by the Federal Ministry of Health. Once again, Rösler is following the example of private health insurance companies in order to reform the health system and sustainably secure the financing of statutory health insurance companies. Whether this promises success, is so far however also among the experts extremely controversial.

Consequences of reimbursement among professionals controversial
While Johannes Singhammer, the health expert of the CSU points out that the reimbursement systems trigger a high administrative burden at the coffers and insured the risk that they remain sitting on part of the cost of their medical bill, expresses, for example, the Federal Dental Association (BZÄK) rather positive to the current plans. The BZÄK also called for an objectification of the discussion. According to the BZÄK, it is quite absurd to associate the reimbursement with "advance payment", because "as a rule, the patient pays his bill after having the money reimbursed by the fund," explained Drs. Peter Engel, President of the BZÄK. Because the named payment target would allow patients time to submit the bill to their insurance before payment.

Whether this would run so smoothly or possibly the patients for their treatment costs but for the time being have to pay for itself, remains to be seen. The planned changes will take effect on January 1, 2011, and only then will it be possible to see how many insureds will even make use of the possibility of reimbursement. (fp, 04.10.2010)

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Doctors are in favor of reimbursement
Rösler plans payment in advance at the doctor's visit