Discontinuation practice fee coffers expect compensation

The Central Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV) criticizes the decisions of the black and yellow coalition leaders. These had decided to abolish the practice fee. The health insurances collect about two billion euros each year through the fees paid by the physician every three months. Similarly, the federal subsidy for statutory health insurance should be cut significantly. For this purpose, a state financial equalization should now be forth, so the Kassenverband.

05/11/2012

The coalition of the Union and FDP have decided on the insistence of the Liberals yesterday Sunday, the abolition of practice fees for legally insured. For this purpose, the wish of the CSU should be met and a care allowance introduced. The fee was introduced as part of health care reform to minimize unnecessary medical visits. According to recent studies, the practice fee could not fulfill its actual purpose. „By the omission of the practice fee the health insurance companies lose revenue in the amount of approximately two billion euro per year“, the chairman of the GKV-Verband, Doris Pfeiffer, reminded on Monday in Berlin.

Reduction of the federal subsidy for the statutory health insurance
Pfeiffer also rates critically the reduction of the federal subsidy for statutory health insurance as agreed by the coalition heads. „The federal subsidy was supposed to ensure the reliable financing of non-insurance benefits, but now it turns out to be a disposal mass for the financing of political projects“, explained the CEO. „As a result, the contributors to the statutory health insurance now have to finance political projects such as childcare allowance or the construction of additional roads.“ The missing revenue would have to be balanced out to the fullest from the health fund.

Over eight billion less
According to the association „The cuts in the statutory health insurance alone for the next two years add up to around € 8.5 billion“. Thus, the projects of the Federal Government leave the reserves of the statutory health insurance „Melt like snow in the sun“.

A spokesman for the Federal Government confirmed the plans. „The federal subsidy for the health fund is to be cut by 500 million next year and by two billion euros in 2014“. (Sb)

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Source: GKV-Spitzenverband