Zero round for registered doctors?

The chairman of the health insurance Barmer GEK calls for zero rounds for physicians in private practice

In view of the empty health insurance funds and the expected extra expenditure in health care, the chairman of the largest German health insurer "Barmer GEK" calls for a clear round this year for doctors in private practice. Opposite the "Rheinische Post" said the Barmer boss Birgit Fischer: "After the billions of increases for the established physicians in recent years, there may be no further fee increases this year." The doctors should adjust this year to a so-called zero-round, so Fischer.

The head of Barmer also criticized the family doctor contracts in this connection: "Just as the GP contracts are currently being negotiated, this amounts to a mere increase in doctors' fees, but we demand quality improvements for the insured."

In contrast, the medical union "Marburger Bund" is currently negotiating new collective agreements for doctors in the municipal hospitals. Here, the Marburger wants to go on the offensive and calls for the total of 55,000 doctors wage improvements of a total of 8 percent of the municipal carriers. (sb, 20.01.2010)