Rationing of medical rehabilitation

Patient and consumer organizations, including the VdK social association, together with the associations of rehabilitation facilities, draw attention to grievances caused by the rationing of medical rehabilitation services.

25/10/2013

Demographic change is bringing two major challenges in Germany. People need to work longer and have to be able to do so. The second challenge is an increasing number of people in need of care. Elderly and people in need of care receive the ability to stay independent longer through rehabilitation measures so that the need for care is postponed. If the access conditions for medical rehabilitation are not adapted to current conditions, the people affected are the losers.

Ulrike Mascher, President of the Social Association VdK Germany: „The changes in society require an adaptation of the legal framework. Now is the time.“

This development is confirmed by the Monitor Patientenberatung des independent Patientenberatung (UPD). From the perspective of counselors, patients were more likely to receive incomplete, inconsistent or misinformed information. Counselors also noted problems with access to care. The legal advice of the social associations and consumer centers also regularly reports that care payments by service providers or payers are unjustifiably denied.

Gerd Billen, CEO of the Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband: „The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities requires effective access to rehabilitation services. For humane reasons and to safeguard the dignity of man. This approach is not always available for patients in Germany.“

The signatories of the resolution urge the Federal Government to create the legal basis swiftly in this legislative period with an urgency appeal. Urgent action is needed in the following areas:

- Established doctors must receive a needs-based prescription procedure
- The interface problem between statutory health insurance and social care insurance must be eliminated
- The rehabilitation budget in the statutory pension insurance must be abolished
(Pm)