Pay for eczema remedy yourself?

No reimbursement for over-the-counter atopic dermatitis drugs

07.03.2012

In an atopic dermatitis disease can offer a variety of different non-prescription treatments, which must still be paid by the patients themselves after a judgment of the Federal Social Court.

Many eczema patients use over-the-counter medications such as ointments or oil baths to relieve their symptoms. Since 2004, the cost of these preparations must be paid out of pocket. In contrast, had a 38-year-old sufferers, who is also a member of the board of the German Neurodermatitis Federation, up to the Federal Social Court. However, she now suffered a defeat in the lawsuit. The judges decided that the over-the-counter atopic dermatitis medicines still do not have to be taken over by the statutory health insurances (GKV).

Prescription drugs for basic therapy in atopic dermatitis
With the GKV Modernization Act of 2004, the financial burden of their illness changed significantly for many atopic dermatitis patients. The relatively often used over-the-counter creams and ointments, which were previously reimbursed by the health insurance, fell out of the cost assumption and have since been financed by the patients themselves. According to the law, only over-the-counter medicines that serve as the standard means of treating a serious illness are being funded by the health insurances. Which medicines this concerns is determined by the Federal Joint Committee. Here, the plaintiff saw the basis, but still to achieve a cost of their over-the-counter atopic dermatitis drugs. The lawyer of the 38-year-old patient from the Hanover region had pointed out in the process that her client is dependent on the medication, since the ointments and creams as a basic therapy for atopic dermatitis disease are mandatory.

Refusal to reimburse over-the-counter medicines lawfully
The judges did not want to follow this line of argument in a first trial at the Landesozialgericht Celle-Bremen and decided that the refusal to pay for the over-the-counter atopic dermatitis medicines was lawful. The 38-year-old appealed to the Federal Social Court against the ruling, but the judges also decided against the plaintiff. The refusal to reimburse for over-the-counter preparations such as fat cream (eg. „Linola“) or oil baths (e.g.. „Balneum Hermal F ") is therefore from a legal point of view in. Neither from the statute of the health insurance nor from the law can be derived here a benefit claim and also for the above-mentioned over-the-counter atopic dermatitis drugs no sound tests on the quality, efficacy and safety In addition, the competent Federal Joint Committee (GBA) has so far found no exceptions in the case of over-the-counter neurodermatitis drugs.

For the 38-year-old plaintiff with severe atopic dermatitis, the verdict has far-reaching financial implications, since in the future she will not only have to raise about 500 euros per month for over-the-counter atopic dermatitis drugs, but also because she faces the repayments of the costs heretofore borne by her health insurance company. This had paid during the multi-year dispute the non-prescription ointments and oil baths provisionally, so now according to the plaintiff reimbursements in the amount of tens of thousands of euros in the room.

Also in naturopathy, different treatment methods offer atopic dermatitis, which are not funded by the statutory health insurance, despite some notable successes. Here are primarily methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), homeopathy and ointments and creams from the field of herbal medicine to call. An extension of the cost assumption would be conceivable in the sense of atopic dermatitis patients in this direction. But the verdict of the Federal Social Court has for the time being put a line under the discussion. Also in the future, neither over-the-counter medicines nor naturopathic treatment methods for neurodermatitis will be taken over by the health insurance companies. (Fp)

Read about:
Nanoparticles in eczema cream
Naturopathy: TCM therapy for atopic dermatitis
Protect cats from eczema?
Eczema: Children should be self-sufficient
Connection between atopic dermatitis & psyche
An ointment for atopic dermatitis?
Hands rubbing relieves the itching

Picture: Andrea Damm