Share:
Statutory health insurance funds do not want to finance medical cannabis
For some days, certain seriously ill people in Germany can get cannabis on prescription. The law, which came into effect on 10 March, provides for the full reimbursement of health insurance. But the coffers fight against it.
Cannabis on prescription for critically ill patients
On March 10, a new law came into force in Germany, which makes it easier for certain seriously ill patients to receive cannabis from the doctor on prescription. Federal Health Minister Hermann Gröhe explained: "Seriously ill people must be provided with the best possible care. This includes the fact that the costs of cannabis as medicine for critically ill patients are taken over by their health insurance, if they can not be helped otherwise effectively. "The coffers but apparently not really agree with the assumption of costs and now defend against it.
Recently, a new law has come into force that allows seriously ill people to get prescribed cannabis by the doctor. The costs should be taken over by the health insurance companies. These fight against it now. (Image: Africa Studio / fotolia.com) Range of services of the German health insurance companies
According to a message from the news agency dpa, the German health insurance companies doubt that they will pay the costs of cannabis therapies on a long-term basis.
The law assumes monthly treatment costs of an average of 540 euros.
A spokesman for the association of statutory health insurance (GKV) said to the German Press Agency: "For the permanent and regular entitlement to benefits in the statutory health insurance lack of proof of effectiveness."
It is therefore correct that the Federal Government has commissioned the Federal Opium Agency to conduct a new study aimed at further investigating the effects of cannabis.
As the association explained, will be based on their basis in a few years, "whether the cannabis therapy permanently belongs to the range of services of the statutory health insurance".
Expected improvement in symptoms or disease progression
According to a statement from the Federal Government, other therapeutic options must be exhausted so that patients who are critically ill and in pain can receive prescription cannabis medicines.
"Or the treating physician decides in individual cases that therapeutic alternatives are not appropriate," it says in the statement. "In addition, cannabis medicines should only be prescribed if the intake is likely to improve the symptoms or the course of the disease."
The active ingredient of marijuana can help, among other things, in multiple sclerosis and against the consequences of chemotherapy in cancer patients.
Who cannabis exactly helps
The patients who are entitled to medical hemp and want to get the costs reimbursed by the health insurance company must declare their willingness to participate in an accompanying research. This should provide data on who cannabis exactly helps.
"This research is important because there is currently insufficient scientific data on the therapeutic efficacy of cannabis. However, a guaranteed effectiveness is usually required for statutory health insurance (GKV) to cover the costs of medicines, "writes the Federal Government.
Therefore, the Federal Opium Office wants to analyze data on therapies within five years in addition to the new cannabis law.
Scientific evidence of the health benefits
Although scientific evidence is not yet abundant, there are some studies that have documented the health benefits of cannabis.
For example, older studies have shown that hemp ingredients can inhibit inflammation and have a relaxing effect. It is also known that THC can relieve spasms of multiple sclerosis patients.
Also proven is the action against pain that goes back to nerve damage. Cannabis drugs can also reduce the serious side effects of chemotherapy.
In addition, two studies were published last year that suggest that cannabis may prevent Alzheimer's outbreak and may be helpful against migraine. (Ad)