Health: Health insurance companies: Maintain telephone sick leave

In the opinion of the CEOs of AOK and Techniker Krankenkasse, the option to take sick leave over the telephone should be retained. “There are a variety of reasons for the high level of sickness in recent months and years. According to everything we know, sick leave over the phone is not one of them,” said AOK board chairwoman Carola Reimann to the editorial network Germany (RND). Experience from the pandemic has shown that telephone sick leave was used responsibly. Therefore, this option should be retained.

Reporting illness by phone should be a lower threshold than going to the doctor’s office, said Jens Baas, CEO of the Techniker Krankenkasse. However, it is only an option for patients who are known to the doctor’s practice. “In my opinion, taking sick leave over the phone has more advantages,” says Baas. “Calling your personal doctor’s office instead of having to sit in the waiting room when you are sick relieves the workload on the practice staff and reduces the risk of infection.”

The option of receiving sick leave by telephone was introduced during the corona pandemic. In December 2023, the Joint Federal Committee of doctors, health insurance companies and clinics decided on a permanent regulation. Patients can then request a sick note by telephone if they are known to the practice and do not have any severe symptoms. As part of its economic growth initiative, the federal government has agreed to review the measure due to increased sickness.