Doctors receive additional 800 million euros

Fee increase of three percent for the medical profession

09/27/2013

The fee of physicians and psychotherapists will increase by up to 800 million euros in the coming year, according to the agreement reached on Wednesday evening between the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) and the Central Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband). According to KBV, this corresponds to a salary increase of around three percent. „This is linked to the agreement of a routine procedure for inflation-sharing in the practice, which can absorb at least part of the rising costs over the next few years“, reported the Kassenärztliche Federal Association on.

Although the agreement reached in the so-called extended assessment committee brings a significant increase in fees for the medical profession (a total of between 590 and 800 million euros is expected), in the view of the chairman of the board of the Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung (KBV), Dr. med. Andreas Köhler, not all problems solved. So be „the next step towards a plannable fixed individual payment has unfortunately been postponed.“ The so-called elimination of additional medical services will come in the next year on the touchstone. Here must „the medical self-government is now taking preparatory measures to achieve this goal next year“, because only if it is possible to define home and specialist basic services, a fixed individual benefit allowance can be agreed here.

According to KBV leader Köhler, the fixed increase in fees also takes into account the cost increases in the practices. In addition, both sides would have agreed on a further promotion of basic services by 140 million euros, which should benefit half of the primary care and specialist medical area, according to the announcement of the federal panel physicians. „We need local doctors for on-site local care“, Regina Feldmann from the KBV board explained the additionally agreed funds. (Fp)