Substitute funds also terminate family doctor contract

Bavarian Ersatzkassen also terminate the family doctor contract

20.12.2010

After the AOK Bavaria already last week announced the termination without notice of the family doctor contract at the end of the year, are now also the Bavarian Ersatzkassen out of the contract with the Bavarian family doctor association (BHÄV). In total, around seven million of the legally insured in Bavaria are affected by the contract terminations of the Ersatzkassen and the AOK.

Termination of the family doctor contract due to serious breaches of contract
With the termination without notice of the family doctor contract, the Ersatzkassen react according to the Bavarian state representation of the Association of Ersatzkassen (VDEK) on the call of the Bavarian GP's Association of its members for the withdrawal from the contract medical care. The VDEK sees this approach as one „serious breach of contract“, which make a termination without notice unavoidable. „The officials of the Bavarian GP do not let go of their dangerous activities and do not want to end their frivolous game with the existence of thousands of GP surgeries“, This is the accusation of Ralf Langejürgen, Chairman of the Bavarian State Representation of the VDEK. The BHÄV with the planned collective return of the cash approvals withdraw from the „in February this year with the Ersatzkassen closed contract over the family-centered supply (HzV) without regard to the primary care in Bavaria the contractual basis“, so the further justification of the VDEK for the termination of the contract. „It is impossible and unreasonable to work with a federation that behaves unlawfully on key issues of social legislation and calls others to break the law“, Last week Bavaria's AOK boss Helmut Platzer had already declared.

Doctors Association can vote on the return of the cashiers
The BHÄV intends to have its members vote on the collective return of the cashier's approval at a rally next Wednesday (22 December). Accordingly, after 30 March 2011, the censuses would expire and patients would have to pay their medical bill out of pocket if the insurers and the BHÄV have not reached a new agreement by then. The reason for the actions of the BHÄV are claims to be the abuses in the current billing system between doctors and health insurance, which endanger the long-term primary care, especially in rural regions. Because the revenue is not sufficient, especially in the less densely populated areas, to ensure the long-term survival of medical practices, so the position of the BHÄV.

Dispute between doctors and insurance escalates
The dispute between the health insurance companies and the doctors about a possible reorganization of the billing system has worsened in recent weeks and now culminated in the immediate termination of the family doctor contracts by the Ersatzkassen and the AOK. However, with the termination of the special contract for the HzV for the approximately seven million affected insured (70 percent of all statutory insured in Bavaria), according to the VDEK for the time being nothing to the primary care standard. They can continue to visit their family doctor and be treated on insurance card, so the VDEK. Only supplementary agreements made between health insurances and doctors would no longer apply in the future, so that, for example, the AOK insured concerned will now have to pay the full practice fee, instead of the previous maximum of ten euros per year.

Turbulent times in the Bavarian health system
In view of the escalation of the dispute between the health insurances and the BHÄV, the Bavarian state government has intensified its involvement in the discussion and, for example, warned the GPs of the consequences of a return of their censuses in newspaper advertisements. „Whoever gets out is outside“ so the message in the „Passauer New Press“. The doctors could only treat private patients in the future, the provincial government warned. Bavarian Health Minister Markus Söder (CSU) added: „Occupational interests must not be carried out on the backs of patients.“ The answer of the BHÄV came immediately: „Markus Söder has quite openly changed the camp: instead of as promised to help the family doctors, he is now one of their biggest critics. No wonder that many family doctors Söder now accuse the open lie.“ Although the annual exchange between health insurance funds and medical associations is not unusual, the situation in Bavaria seems to exceed the previously known level of escalation. The fronts are so hardened that it can be expected with tension, as the doctors on Wednesday vote on the exit from the cash register system. Should 60 percent of BHÄV members call for a return of the cash register approval, the Bavarian health care system faces turbulent times, if there is no corresponding majority, everything will remain the same. (Fp)

Read on:
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Family doctor association insists on system change
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AOK boss: problem with medical oversupply
Dispute between AOK and family doctors escalates

Picture: Pauline