Rössler warns physicians against practice closures

Federal Health Minister Philipp Rösler warns family doctors against closing their practices. Doctors would be protesting on patients' backs if they closed their family practice.

(17.07.2010) The Federal Minister of Health Philipp Rösler (FDP) has warned family physicians not to take seriously and to close their medical practices in protest against cuts in health care. The protest would be on the patient's back, the minister said. In contrast to the "Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung (HAZ)", Rössler said: "The patients would not understand if they were seen as a lever for protests." The doctors want to protest, however, that in the coming year, the fees of family doctors in 2011 by about 500 million less increase than previously planned. Rössler replied that the fees would not be cut, but only new expenses will be limited. The Minister of Health told the HAZ: "We do not cut fees, but limit new expenditures".

In the coming year, a deficit of the statutory health insurance of about 11 billion euros is expected. In the "small health care reform" it was agreed to release the health insurance funds the collection of additional contributions. In addition, the general contribution rate of health insurance should rise to 15.5 percent of the gross salary. In addition, the government plans to not increase the family doctor fees further. On the other hand, the GPs and keep the corresponding pressure on the federal government.

To the protest of the family doctors called the Association of family doctors. As a means of protest, a treatment boycott and whole closures of family practices are being considered. The family doctor association accuses the federal government, she wanted to cancel the "family doctor model". The „Family doctor centered care“ has been introduced to make GPs the first port of call for the patient. The family doctor coordinates all treatment steps and gives referrals to specialists. The so-called family doctor model was introduced in order to minimize unnecessary specialist visits and to make the treatment of patients more targeted. The „Family doctor centered care“ is described in § 73b SGB V.

The Federal Minister of Health assured, however, that he did not want to touch the family doctor model. However, Rössler wants to enforce that all primary care physicians are treated the same, regardless of whether a doctor has already concluded a family doctor contract, or not. Thus, the minister said: "For new contracts, the same remuneration should apply as in the regular supply". The Association of GPs has a total of 32,000 doctors. The association threatened in the last week with nationwide treatment boycott, if Rössler would not relent. The protest is planned for the coming weeks, first the state associations would have to agree. (Sb)

Picture: Rainer Sturm