Five euro practice fee per doctor visit planned

Health system: soon 5 euros practice fee for each visit to the doctor?

10/12/2011

Apparently, the black-yellow federal government plans a separate practice fee for statutory health insurance. At each visit to the doctor should be due five euros. For this purpose, the quarterly payment of ten euros should be omitted. The FDP Federal Health Minister Daniel Bahr plans according to media reports from winter 2012 to examine counter-models to the previous system. However, the federal government denies such reports. The Germans go to the doctor more and more often.

The quarterly payment of a practice fee of 10 euros was introduced in the wake of the health reform at that time to „unnecessary doctor visits“ to avoid. According to research, the practice fee has led to more revenue in the health system, however, the number of physician consultations could not be significantly reduced. On the contrary, Germans are increasingly coming to the doctor, as a study by Barmer GEK showed. According to their patient data, a general practitioner in Germany treats around 45 patients a day. In 2004, Germans went to the doctor about 16.4 times a year on average. In 2010 there were already annual 18.1 doctor visits. In international comparison, German GPs have about twice as many patient contacts as elsewhere. Because the current system apparently does not work, the Federal Ministry of Health wants to improve now.

Ministry of Health denies reports
According to information from the tabloid „image“ The coalition of Union and FDP plans the practice fees in the statutory insurance system „reform“. According to internal government circles, the Minister of Health Daniel Bahr (FDP) plans to examine new models from spring 2012. Thus, it is conceivable that a separate levy could be due at each visit to the doctor. Health experts are calling for the practice fee to be raised to five euros instead of the quarterly ten euros for each doctor's visit. Under certain circumstances, another fee may be due, even if the family doctor referred to a specialist. After publication of the reports was denied immediately in the home of the Federal Ministry of Health. „Such considerations do not come from the ministry“, as spokesman Christian Albrecht said today in Berlin. „In the coalition, the topic of practical fees has not even been discussed.“

Coalition politicians report on practice fee reform
However, the FDP member of parliament and health expert of the party Lars Lindemann said opposite the picture that the current practice fee „no controlling function“ possessed. „We will examine alternatives in 2012. "Lindemann continued, adding that the CSU also hinted that CSU Bundestag member Johannes Singhammer said:" The effect of reducing the number of doctor visits has not been achieved with the current fee.“ For this reason, the government wants to examine whether unbureaucratic and better opportunities exist. According to Singhammer, this was also agreed in the coalition agreement.

Health economist calls for a medical fee of five euros for each medical appointment
At the same time, the health economist Jürgen Wasem suggested a practice fee of five euros per medical examination. The economist told the newspaper: "5 Euro per visit makes more sense than the current fee". Another option would be a kind of deductible on the treatment costs. The social expert Thomas Drabinski from Kiel pleaded for this model. According to calculations of the expert would then be due in about five to ten euros per doctor's appointment.

On the part of the health insurance companies it was said that the projects were worth supporting. The chairman of the Techniker Krankenkasse explained the instrument of control „for fewer visits to the doctor, the practice fee failed. "For the health fund, the practice fee meant an annual additional income of 2.8 billion euros.

Social backups also on the test?
Whether social backups are also to the test, was not to be experienced. For low-paid, chronically ill and recipients of unemployment benefits II benefits exist so-called load limits. For example, if you are recognized as chronically ill, you will not be able to pay in excess of the limit of two percent at the present time. Anyone who knows in advance that the limit is exceeded by regular visits to the doctor, who can apply for a so-called exemption for the coming year at the end of the old year with the relevant health insurance. To do this, the person concerned must first transfer the individual amount to the cashier until the limit of payment has been reached. Afterwards the insured person receives a „exemption certificate“, which is now presented at every doctor's appointment. (Sb)

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Image: Thommy Weiss