IGeL services often unnecessary at the doctor

IGeL services not always necessary: ​​A new portal should provide information to patients

25/01/2012

The days when statutory health insurance companies from dentures to special examination for pregnant women have taken over all services are long gone. Anyone who goes to the doctor today is asked to pay for so-called individual health services (IGeL). But patients are often overwhelmed, because as a layman is difficult to assess which additional services are necessary from a medical point of view. A new internet portal will help patients as well as professionals in assessing the need for IGeL services.

According to GKV, IGeL is primarily concerned with the economic interests of physicians
Doris Pfeiffer, CEO of the GKV-Spitzenverband, explains to the new internet portal: „The IGeL services are primarily concerned with the economic interests of doctors and not with the necessary medical services for the sick. We therefore support the new information portal of the MDS. It enables insured persons to make a decision based on empirical medical assessments.“

Pfeiffer considers it essential that a written agreement between doctor and patient regarding additional benefits be concluded. No patient should be taken by surprise in a doctor's office with IGeL services. Patients should have enough time to think about it.

In the new Internet portal of the medical service of the central association of the federation of the health insurance companies (MDS) insured ones can inform themselves over 24 frequently offered IGeL achievements. The user has scientifically sound evaluations of the individual services available. As an example, the acupuncture for the prevention of migraine called the „tends to be positive“ is evaluated because it has fewer side effects and fewer discontinuations compared to standard medication. Whether she was superior to medication, however, remains questionable.

Five categories are used for the evaluation
The Internet portal also provides information on price ranges of IGeL services as well as recommendations from other experts. Certain sections are also specific to experts and methodologists. The evaluation of the services is carried out in a conclusion based on five categories. „positive“ means that the benefit clearly outweighs the damage. „Trend positive“ means that the benefit outweighs the damage only slightly. „Not clear“ means that benefits and harms outweigh or are unknown. at „Tendency negative“ the harm marginally outweighs the benefit while „negative“ means that the damage clearly outweighs.

MDS Managing Director Peter Pick explains that the goal is to stop another IGeL service every month. In one to two years, the portal should cover a large part of the IGeL market.

Already one in four patients use IGeL services
According to a study by the scientific institute of the AOK (WidO), one in four Germans has already taken advantage of a medical healthcare supplement. The trend is increasing, because in 2001 there were just nine percent of the population while today it is 28.3 percent. It is not certain that these additional services are necessary in any case.

The GKV Spitzenverband demands one „24-hour consent period“ for the patients, so that they could calmly consider whether an additional medical benefit would be considered. Whether this requirement is ever given in the form of a law is questionable. Because the economic benefits of the IGel services are high. Since 2005, sales have risen by 50 percent to 1.5 billion euros annually. (Ag)

Also read:
Health insurance companies want to restrict additional benefits
Doctors are selling more and more benefits
Doctors as sellers of additional services
Doctor appointments: Cash patients are disadvantaged
Barely useful additional services at the doctor