Federal Council Suspends Fee Ceiling for General Practitioners
The Bundesrat (Federal Council) resolved to lift the fee cap for general practitioners on Friday. The previous cap often required physicians to work without compensation if they had exhausted their budget.
Reform to Accelerate Doctor’s Appointments
The Health Care Strengthening Act stipulates that all services provided will now be remunerated. The reform is expected to speed up the scheduling of doctor’s appointments by eliminating the previous practice of unpaid work.
New Features:
1. Care Allowance for the Chronically Ill
A care allowance has been introduced for the treatment of chronically ill patients. Previously, such patients were required to attend appointments at least once per quarter to ensure reimbursement.
2. Reserve Payment for Extensive Services
A reserve payment will cover special fees for time-consuming services such as house visits or treatments in nursing homes.
3. Enhanced Outpatient Care for Mental Health
The law improves outpatient care for individuals with mental health conditions. Severely ill patients or those with disabilities will gain easier access to necessary aids by expediting the approval process.
4. Expanded Access to Contraception for Sexual Assault Victims
The entitlement to certain contraceptives for victims of sexual violence has been expanded. The previous age limit of 23 for free emergency contraception will be eliminated.
Criticism from the Länder
While welcoming the new law, the German states (Länder) demand improvements. Key aspects, such as the health kiosks, primary care centers, and health regions planned by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), were removed during the drafting phase. With the collapse of the "traffic light" coalition (SPD, FDP, Greens), it is unlikely that these projects will materialize.
Baden-Württemberg’s Health Minister Manfred Lucha (Greens) criticized the law, stating that much had been lost. Brandenburg’s non-partisan Health Minister Britta Müller expressed regret that approaches for better cross-sectoral care, such as through health centers, had been dropped.
