Health insurance companies pay homeopathy to the doctor

Health insurance companies take homeopathy at the doctor

05/11/2013

Although homeopathy is not listed in the catalog of benefits of the statutory health insurance, they often take the cost of alternative medicine. About 70 percent of the funds take over the homeopathic services. However, the treatment must be done by a trained doctor.

Homeopathy as a supplement or alternative
According to doctors, about 70 percent of the statutory health insurance funds now take over the treatment costs for homeopathy with specially trained physicians. Cornelia Bajic, chairwoman of the German Central Association of Homeopathic Doctors (DZVhÄ), says: „ For the health insurance companies, this is probably a marketing tool to differentiate themselves from the competition.“ Of the approximately 130 statutory health insurance funds, 90 are now taking over the costs of homeopathic procedures, which are seen as a supplement or alternative to conventional medicine. However, homeopathy is not one of the mandatory standard services that must be covered by the statutory health insurance. However, it could be offered through special contracts or so-called statute benefits by the individual funds, so the top association of the statutory health insurance.

No treatment costs for health practitioners
According to the Central Association, there are around 7,000 homeopathic physicians in Germany who have completed a homeopathic training recognized by the regional medical associations after completing conventional medical education and specialist training. With non-medical practitioners the benefits are not recognized by the health insurance funds. „Only those who go to a doctor who also offers homeopathy will be reimbursed for their treatment costs“, confirms a spokesman.

Controversial effect
The evaluation of homeopathy by scientific medicine is far from the positive image of the healing method. Criticism is particularly the assumption that the effectiveness of a drug by diluting potentiated, so multiplied, is. However, many critics also see the power of suggestion, the so-called placebo effect. An agent that does not contain any or only tiny traces of an active ingredient, the one that believes in its effectiveness, thus helps.

sugar pills
Homeopathy was founded in 1796 by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann. The most important assumption is the principle of similarity, which he formulated as follows: „The same should be cured by something similar.“ Much has changed since then, the essentials have been preserved. Thus, herbal, animal or mineral substances are first brought into a liquid or powdered form and then mixed with a carrier and thereby diluted. There are the well-known „sugar pills“. Basically, homeopathy assumes that a disease can be treated with a small dose of a natural product, which leads to similar symptoms in a healthy, larger dose. However, it is also true that homeopathic therapy can not replace intensive care treatment. In case of doubt, it is never possible to forego the professional advice of a doctor. (Ag)

Picture: Dr. Leonora black