Countries are spending less and less on clinics

Countries save on hospitals and the health insurance companies are the same

07/02/2012

The federal states spend less and less money on their clinics. The statutory health insurance companies now have the impression that they have to compensate for the lack of investment at the expense of the insured. Because the hospitals demand more and more money from the coffers. Against this development is now the top association of statutory health insurance to the defense. They demand more money from the countries for the hospital investments.

Between 2001 and 2011, countries spent around 20 percent less on clinics than before. This comes from the data of the working groups of the Supreme State Health Authorities. Payments have shrunk from € 3.4 billion to € 2.7 billion, mainly for renovations or the purchase of large medical equipment. In the same period, however, the expenditures of health insurance for clinics have increased by 33 percent to 60.8 billion euros. The hospital costs of the health insurances reached a record level.

Federal states are less and less able to meet their payment obligations
Although want „the countries in the health policy decide more and more, but come at the clinics their legal payment obligations less and less, "criticized the vice-chief of the National Association of statutory health insurance (GKV), Johann -Laus von Stackelberg." Go on, pay the federal states Soon, nothing at all for inpatient care and „let the clinics and the contributors stand by the investment costs in the rain.“

In addition, it can be assumed that even today the necessary investments are financed in half by the clinic profits from the lump-sum payments. These pay the cash, „with an upward trend“. The countries are trying in „the current debate in the Bundesrat with particularly brisk demands to realize a financial betterment of the hospitals.“ According to the GKV, the suspicion therefore arises, „that the declining country financing in the area of ​​hospital investments should be compensated by overstretched debits to payers of the health insurance companies.“ The lack of participation of the federal states „Investment financing also calls into question the basic principles of hospital planning“, so V. Stackelberg. „Long overdue“ be a discussion about it, „Whether hospital planning in the current form is still the right management tool.“

The Bavarian Ministry of Health rejected the complaints of the health insurance companies. Finally, Bayern would like to come in the coming „Double budget to increase hospital funding from 430 to 500 million euros“, as a spokesman for the Ministry said. (Sb)

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Picture: Rainer Sturm