The head of the AOK Federal Association, Carola Reimann, wants privately insured people to contribute to the costs of the hospital reform planned by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD). “If Health Minister Lauterbach’s current plans remain the same, in future a privately insured person would be treated in a bed that was paid for by the solidarity community of those with statutory health insurance,” Reimann told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND).
Instead of burdening those with statutory health insurance with half of the costs of the planned 50 billion euro fund for the restructuring of the hospital landscape, the burden should be distributed more fairly. After all, almost ten percent of all hospital treatments are carried out by those with private insurance, said Reimann. “It is a matter of fairness that private health insurance should also be involved in the restructuring of the hospital landscape.” The financing of the hospital reform is shared between the federal states and the statutory health insurance funds, which would probably have to increase the contribution rates of the insured to do so. The umbrella association of statutory health insurance funds (GKV) considers this to be unconstitutional.
The head of the German Social Association (SoVD), Michaela Engelmeier, also criticized the plans: “Our health system is based on the principle of solidarity – actually. The division into those with statutory and private insurance undermines this and creates a two-class society. Burdening the much-needed restructuring of the hospital landscape solely on those with statutory insurance is a new level of lack of solidarity,” she told the German Press Agency.
Surcharges on hospital bills?
Specifically, AOK boss Reimann suggested surcharges on hospital bills for privately insured people. This would be the easiest to implement technically and has already proven successful in other areas. At the same time, the health insurance representative reiterated the basic position of the statutory health insurance companies that the modernization of the hospital landscape is actually the responsibility of the federal and state governments and should therefore be paid for entirely from tax revenue. According to Engelmeier, the SoVD takes the same view.
The hospital reform is currently being discussed in the Bundestag. A public expert hearing is planned for Wednesday in the Health Committee – accompanied by protests. Lauterbach has been promoting his reform plans for months, which are intended to bring more specialization and less bureaucracy.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240922-930-239724/1
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