Doctor-patient contacts
Wide front for a practice fee
Insured persons go to the doctor more often in Germany than in other countries. Could a fee due when visiting the practice could prevent “doctors shopping”? There is criticism of the proposal.
General practitioners, patient protectors and trade unionists face the employer proposal for a contact fee for patients in German medical practices. “This proposal of the employers is not only anti-social, but also completely amazed,” said the chair of the general practitioner association, Nicola Buhlinger-Göpfarth, the “Rheinische Post”.
The German Foundation for Patient Protection also turned against a new edition of a practice fee. Foundation board member Eugen Brysch told the German Press Agency: “Like the summer hole, the practice fee increases every year.” It was abolished after many years of testing in 2012. “After all, the control effect of the patients failed to materialize.”
The medical practices also ran storm due to the administrative effort. “There were also patients who visited a medical consultation much too late,” said Brysch. From 2004 to 2012, ten euros were due during the first visit to the doctor in the quarter.
Too many doctor-patient contacts
The general manager of the Federal Association of German Employers’ Associations, Steffen Kampeter, had spoken out in view of increasing additional contributions to the health insurance companies for a contact fee for every visit to the doctor. In the “Berlin PlayBook” podcast of “Politico” he said that such a fee could bring about more patient control and limit “doctors shopping”.
Don’t you want to miss anything from the star?
Personally, competent and entertaining: Editor -in -chief Gregor Peter Schmitz sends you the most important content from the star-Credaction and arranges what Germany talks about.
Buhlinger-Göpfarth admitted that not all doctor-patient contacts were necessary. However, the answer is not general contact fees. The head of the general practitioner association argued that chronically ill people should then pay the fee dozens of times a year. “In particular, that would completely overwhelm socially weak financially,” she warned.
Such a fee would also prevent the patients from visiting the doctor with severe health consequences for the patients, because diseases are treated too late or a precautionary measure does not take place.
Call for more patient control
Rather, better patient control is necessary. This requires a primary medical doctor system. The family practice is always the first point of contact, which, if necessary, consults other specialists.
The Verdi service union also does not see any contribution to the better control of patients in contact fees. “They would further tighten the social imbalance in medical care,” said federal board member Sylvia Bühler to Zdfheute. Instead, a strong primary doctor system and sustainable concepts for supply in rural regions are needed.
Wagenknecht: Practical fee 2.0 prevent
BSW boss Sahra Wagenknecht called the employer proposal “an affront”. She added: “But at the Merz government, he could meet open ears.” It should be feared that the Federal Government will revive the practice fee “because it historically indebted for the arms arm”. A practice fee 2.0 must be prevented.
dpa
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
