Hamburg doctors protest against health insurance

Doctors protest against the behavior of the health insurance companies

08.11.2012

In Hamburg, doctors, psychotherapists and practice staff yesterday in the Congress Center Hamburg (CCH) again protested against the action of the health insurance. They called for an adjustment of the performance allowances. If the health insurance companies remain in their blockade, nationwide protest measures - up to practice closures - are planned, according to the announcement of the Kassenärztliche Vereinigung (KV) Hamburg.

Around 1,700 physicians gathered in the CCH yesterday and overwhelmingly passed a resolution in which they criticized the blockage and stalling tactics of the health insurance companies. The speaker of the advisory committee Specialist medical care of the KV Hamburg, Dr. med. Dirk Heinrich, explained: „We are on strike by the health insurance companies and what do we do? We continue to work.“ The physicians no longer want to put up with this and therefore demand a return to the remuneration conditions of the year 2008, a support of the basic medical and specialist care and a compensation for the above-average high cost increase in Hamburg. So far „the health insurance still no offer put on the table. They simply refuse to do their job and ensure funding for care“, criticized Michael Späth, speaker of the representative meeting of KV Hamburg.

Hamburg medical profession defends itself against discrimination
After the medical profession and the health insurance companies had agreed on a federal compromise on the increase in doctors' fees after months of conflict, the conflict in Hamburg is now booming again. The Hamburg physicians insist on additional fee increases, since the costs for the medical profession in Hamburg have increased to a special degree. Alone „the costs for the practices have increased in recent years by eleven percent, "said the chairman of the board of the Hamburg KV, Dieter Bollmann.This increase was also determined by the Federal Statistical Office.So, the basic care of the Hamburg patients with the currently pledged funds no longer be guaranteed, especially since the number of treatment cases in Hamburg had increased disproportionately. „The doctors are no longer willing to accept the disadvantage of Hamburg“, added Dr. Michael Späth

Health insurance: Excessive demand of the Hamburg doctors
The health insurance companies, however, assess the demands of the Hamburg medical profession as completely exaggerated. Kathrin Herbst, head of the state representation of the VDEk, declared that the KV Hamburg had raised in the regional round of negotiations in the amount of „well over 70 million euros“ required - „three times what Hamburg would lose according to the agreement at the federal level.“ In the opinion of the health insurance companies an unstable position. „Kathrin Herbst emphasized that such overdrawn demands, for which only the insured should pay their contributions, are lacking in our understanding. "Also Matthias Mohrmann, from the board of the AOK Rheinland / Hamburg spoke of one „disproportionate claim in the double-digit percentage range.“

Medical profession demands compensation for increased burdens
The Hamburg doctors, however, assess their claims as completely realistic and justified by the actual additional costs. Thus, the burden on the medical profession also increased by more nursing care in homes and many home visits, without this being sufficiently rewarded. „In addition, it can not be the case that physicians remain sitting on the costs they have incurred for psychotherapy services in recent years“, explained Dr. Späth. According to him, the doctors have already supported psychotherapy with around 40 million euros - an amount that the health insurance companies now want to retain. In addition, there are no compensation payments to the Hamburg doctors for patients who come from the surrounding area - which is the case with about every third patient. Due to the unsatisfactory situation, doctors would increasingly give up their practices or sell them to medical care centers in urban areas.

Further protests and practice closures
The chairman of the KV Hamburg, Dieter Bollmann, explained: „The doctors demand respect for their performance.“ In this case, promises made by politicians, health insurances and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KVB) to the physicians of Hamburg had not been observed. For this reason, the KV Hamburg have also sued their own federal association before the Social Court of Berlin, where the chances for a legal success, according to Bollmann relatively well. Michael Späth stressed that until 21 November by the health insurance companies an offer is expected and the negotiations are otherwise declared failed. Then further protests against the legal health insurance and also practice closures are possible options. The physicians repeatedly emphasized that their protest is not directed against the patients and their emergency care is always ensured. (Fp)