IGeL services More and more patients are paying for additional treatments

More and more patients are paying to the doctor for additional treatments
More and more doctors in Germany offer so-called individual health services (IGeL), which have to be paid by the patients themselves. Especially gynecologists do good business with it. The Patient Commissioner of the Federal Government spoke of a "gigantic".

Additional treatments for one third of insured persons
Physicians in Germany are increasingly offering insured persons extra benefits, so-called individual health benefits (IGeL), for a fee. This reports "Bild" (Monday edition) according to a message from the news agency dts. The paper cites a new study by the AOK Institute WIdO, which said that 20 million insured persons were expected to pay for additional treatments last year alone. This corresponds to 33 percent of all legally insured persons. In 2013, it was reported to have been 29.9 percent.

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Especially gynecologists do good business
It is said that especially gynecologists did business with private billing. Thus, 30.1 percent of all IgeL services were offered by gynecologists. Just a few weeks ago, Elisabeth Buchinger from the Independent Patient Counseling Germany (UPD) advised, according to a message from the news agency dpa, that patients should inform the gynecologist in advance, what exactly is done during an examination and what benefits the examinations can have. According to the expert, for example, many harmless findings are recorded during the ultrasound examination, which can lead to uncertainty and can lead to further examinations. She advises in general, not to be persuaded to an investigation.

Laws should be reviewed and corrected if necessary
Last year, registered physicians with extra treatments achieved a total of one billion euros in additional income, the newspaper reports. Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU), patient representative of the Federal Government criticized doctors who do not properly explain the meaning and cost of IGeL services or put patients under pressure to accept extra treatments. Opposite "picture" he said: "This is a huge pig." And further: "If some doctors refuse further treatment because patients do not want to use IGeL services, that is completely unacceptable and illegal." The politician announced that he would review existing legislation on IGeL benefits and correct it if necessary. Laumann said: "If there is a need for legislative correction, we will of course act." (Ad)