Emergency medical service rescued in Bavaria

Threatening compendium of emergency medical service in Bavaria averted

12/23/2012

The emergency physician care in Bavaria is secured. Since the summer, the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KVB) and the health insurance funds have been arguing over the financing of the emergency medical service. The KVB had warned against an emergency medical service, should the health insurance companies, the physicians who provide the emergency service, grant no higher financial support.

On the mediation of the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior, the health insurance funds and the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians Bavaria have now agreed on a compromise, which provides for the provision of additional funds by the health insurance companies to secure the Notarzthonorierung until the end of the transitional period on 31 March 2013. Thus, the dispute over the payment of the emergency medical assignments is initially settled. Both sides have also committed, „Make every effort to bring the pending arbitration to a conclusion by the end of the transitional period“, so the message of the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior.

Emergency medical care for the time being to the extent secured
In addition to the agreement on the financing of emergency medical care, the KVB and the health insurance also have the problem „The emergency medical examinations expiring at the end of the year will be temporarily defused by allowing emergency physicians to remain active until 30 June 2013 on the basis of the previously granted authorizations“, reports the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior. Thus, the emergency medical care initially remain in their previous extent.

Compromise of health insurance companies and doctors
The chairman of the consortium of emergency physicians working in Bavaria, Peter Sefrin, welcomed the provisional agreement with the health insurance companies and told the news agency in Würzburg on Friday „dpa“, It can be assumed that the emergency medical service will now be secured across Bavaria throughout the holidays. However, a final agreement on the financing of emergency medical services must be made in the ongoing arbitration. Whether the medical profession will be so satisfied with the result to be achieved remains to be seen. However, significant points of mutual criticism were settled with the compromise reached in the interests of patient health. (Fp)

Read about:
On holidays emergency doctor shortage in Bavaria

Picture: Gerd Altmann