Many hospitals are struggling financially – a reform should address this fundamentally. Do you need more money beforehand?
The clinics are putting pressure on for a quick additional cash injection from the federal government. “Inflation is causing massive cost increases,” said the CEO of the German Hospital Society, Gerald Gass, on the occasion of a nationwide day of action on Tuesday. Pending necessary tariff increases would exacerbate the situation.
Since they could not raise prices, the clinics would accumulate a deficit of ten billion euros by the end of the year. The development will continue so dramatically in 2024. “We don’t want alms or rescue packages, but a fair adjustment of the proceeds to the increased costs,” said Gass.
Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach expressed understanding for the protest. The hospitals are in a very difficult situation, said the SPD politician. Therefore, the planned hospital reform is being worked on “at high pressure”. It creates the conditions for being able to make targeted investments. Funding should be used to support this transformation. Lauterbach also referred to federal aid already planned because of increased energy costs.
Day of action “Red Alert”
During the day of action with the motto “Red Alert – Hospitals in Need”, clinics nationwide wanted to draw attention to their serious situation. According to the police, around 500 people took part in a central rally in Berlin. The interest group had already warned that 20 to 30 percent of the clinics are currently dealing with the issue of insolvency. Gass called it unacceptable that the federal budget of 500 billion euros did not include 10 billion euros for maintaining nationwide hospital care.
The core of the financing reform planned by Lauterbach is to change the remuneration system with lump sums for treatment cases. In order not to be dependent on more and more cases, they should receive a larger share of the remuneration simply for providing services. This is intended to relieve clinics of financial pressure.
The cities are also pressing for more help quickly. The clinics could not wait for the reform to take effect, said the President of the German Association of Cities, Markus Lewe, the German Press Agency. “It is unacceptable for cities to have to inject millions from their budgets to make up for deficits in municipal hospitals that provide care beyond the city limits.” That is the task of the federal and state governments. “The aim must be to prevent closures so that as many people as possible can be looked after locally and receive good medical and nursing care.”
The Verdi union called for quick protection against bankruptcies. It would be irresponsible to close clinics that are needed for local care. The decision on the future of the health system should not be left to the finance minister. The general local health insurance companies (AOK) explained that simply pumping more and more money into existing structures and financing the maintenance of the status quo will not lead to any further in the long run.
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.
