Healthcare reform violates WHO recommendations

According to the German Trade Union Confederation, the planned health care reform of the Federal Government violates the general WHO recommendations.

11/22/2010

In the course of the health care reforms, which come into force at the turn of the year, new burdens are being placed on the insured persons of the statutory health insurance. Among other things, the health insurance funds can determine the amount of the additional contribution itself. The general contribution rate increases to 15.5 percent. The additional contributions will increase the expenses of the insured continuously. The WHO Health Report made it clear that the health care reform was in breach of WHO recommendations.

On the occasion of the presentation of the World Health Report by the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Margarete Chan, the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) calls on the Federal Government to implement the WHO recommendations in Germany as well. The DGB board member Annelie Buntenbach said in Berlin on Monday: "The health reform of the coalition violates fundamental recommendations of the World Health Organization instead of the central WHO requirement to reduce the co-payments and co-payments of insured or patients, the existing co-payment not only maintained, but also widened with the extension of the additional cost system ", warned the trade unionist.

In Buntenbach's view, the additional contributions (capitation) and the promotion of reimbursement (advance payment model) contradict the WHO requirements. "With the entry into the exit from the solidary financing the coalition the international reputation of the German health system heavy damage to, because the burden in the future only on the insured and patients will be postponed", so the German union federation.

Expenditure on health insurance has increased
According to information from the DGB, the health expenditure of private households have increased more than the expenditure of the statutory health insurance. The expenditure was last with more than 35 billion euros (2008). The financing of health insurance is now largely taken over by the insured themselves, because the employer / employee share (equal financing) is unlike at 60:40 to Ungunster the insured postponed. By freezing the employer's share of the health care reform and by introducing new additional contributions, the ratio will continue to shift to the detriment of the health insured. "The health care reform does not reduce these additional burdens - on the contrary: according to the will of the CDU / CSU and the FDP, the insured should in the future bear all cost increases through non-income-related additional contributions." In addition, the coalition increases the pressure on the patients in the direction of advance payment (reimbursement). Thus, the additional payments continue to increase without an advantage for the insured. "

According to the union, this shows that the federal government is causing a great deal of damage to the health system with the "grave injustices". The DGB wants to continue to make strong against the additional contributions and promote a solidary citizens' insurance. (Sb)

Also read:
Healthcare reform: Health is becoming more expensive
Bundestag decides health reform
Health: DGB demands relief for insured