Health insurance companies will pay in the future also quadruple vaccine against influenza

Cashiers will pay quadruple vaccine from next flu season

Every year, thousands of Germans get influenza (influenza). One way to protect yourself from infection is the flu shot. From the coming season, this protection will be done with a quadruple vaccine. This has now been decided by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA).

Protection against infection

If you want to protect yourself from flu, you should strengthen your immune system, keep away from sick people and wash your hands regularly. The flu vaccine recommended by the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is also particularly recommended for people with an increased risk of severe disease. In the vaccination season 2018/2019 the flu vaccine will be given with a quadruple vaccine. The Joint Federal Committee (G-BA) of top representatives of doctors, health insurances and hospitals has now decided that.

Statutory insured can in future be vaccinated with a quadruple vaccine against the seasonal flu. This has now been decided by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA). (Image: Adam Gregor / fotolia.com)

Statutory insured can get vaccinated with quadruple vaccine

According to a press release, following the World Health Organization (WHO) decision on the antigen combination of the vaccine for the 2018/2019 season, the G-BA has laid the groundwork for insurers to be treated with a quadruple seasonal vaccine Influenza can be vaccinated.

So far there was no binding regulation for the statutory health insurance companies, whether for this vaccination a three or four-fold vaccine is to be used. Both options were permitted in accordance with the previous STIKO recommendations.

By specifying the Vaccination Guideline, the G-BA follows STIKO's recommendation that, starting with the vaccination season 2018/2019 for influenza vaccination, a quadruple vaccine containing the current combination of antigen recommended by the WHO should be used.

Manufacturers have enough supply for the production

"This decision is - unlike in many cases also publicly speculated - not on the vaccination season 2017/2018, but on the upcoming," said Professor Josef Hecken, impartial Chairman of the G-BA and Chairman of the Subcommittee Pharmaceuticals.

Due to the lengthy production process, the WHO decides on the antigen combination of the vaccine well before the start of a flu season.

With WHO's decision and the G-BA's decision, manufacturers are now well on their way to producing enough vaccine by the start of the next vaccination season in the coming fall.

The resolution amending the Vaccination Directive will be submitted to the Federal Ministry of Health for review and will enter into force after publication in the Federal Gazette.

Some health insurance companies offer more benefits

Since April 1, 2007, vaccinations are compulsory services of the statutory health insurance (GKV). Previously, they were voluntary statutes of the health insurance companies.

A basic prerequisite for the inclusion of a protective vaccine in the catalog of benefits of the statutory health insurance is a recommendation of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Berlin based Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO).

On the basis of the STIKO recommendations, the G-BA specifies the details of the obligation to pay statutory health insurance in the immunization guideline.

Numerous public health insurance companies offer a range of benefits beyond the vaccination guidelines - such as flu vaccinations for insured persons who are not included in the risk groups - as voluntary statutory benefits. (Ad)