MUNICH (dpa-AFX) – In view of the protests in Bavarian cities against the federal government’s planned austerity measures in statutory health insurance, the SPD in Bavaria is calling for significant improvements. The planned cuts in the care budget and the limited refinancing of tariff increases endanger the economic future of many hospitals and thus local health care, said state chairmen Ronja Endres and Sebastian Roloff.
Demonstrations in constant rain
In Bavaria, the service union Verdi called for demonstrations on the occasion of the health ministers’ conference – in Würzburg, Deggendorf, Munich, Nuremberg and Kempten. A total of around 1,700 people took part, said a Verdi spokesman. Despite the constant rain, it was a powerful start to the protests.
“Nurses have been working at the limit for years and many hospitals are fighting for survival. To put the red pencil now, of all times, where people are cared for and employees do superhuman things every day, is the completely wrong signal,” emphasized Endres. Good wages should not be a disadvantage for clinics. “If fair collective bargaining agreements are no longer financed and savings are made in care at the same time, not only jobs but entire hospital locations are at stake in the end. We cannot allow that.”
Roloff also sees the Bavarian state government as having a duty to protect the clinics in the Free State: “The state government must not limit itself to pointing the finger at Berlin. Hospital planning is a state matter. For years it has been pushing difficult decisions off to districts and municipalities instead of finally presenting reliable planning for the clinic landscape. Anyone who wants to ensure comprehensive care must act now and advocate for adequate financing of hospitals in the Federal Council.”
More protests on Friday
On Friday, when the amendment is discussed in the Bundestag for the first time, several clinics want to symbolically close for a short time, according to the Bavarian Hospital Society (BKG). The main entrances should be closed for two hours at lunchtime. The clinics remained accessible via side entrances and operations would not be affected, it was said. Similar actions are also planned in other federal states such as Baden-Württemberg.
Billion dollar hole feared for hospitals
The background to the protests is the planned statutory health insurance contribution rate stabilization law by Federal Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU). So far, health insurance companies have covered additional expenses that arise from tariff increases for staff. This regulation is to be abolished with the proposed Warken law. In addition, there are cuts in the care budget – where there is already a lack of money and staff.
“Health is a service of general interest and must not be cut short,” warned the Bavarian Verdi regional manager Luise Klemens. Verdi and the hospital company BKG warn of serious consequences. BKG and Verdi expect the measure to result in a billion-dollar hole in the financing of Bavarian clinics.
Warning of closures
As a result, closures of departments and locations are foreseeable. The action would be “the start of further protests if this law is passed,” said BKG managing director Roland Engehausen recently. The announced steps could create a gap of 1.4 billion euros in the budgets of Bavarian hospitals next year, according to the BKG.
The campaigns have the motto “Financing in solidarity. Providing security. Defending the welfare state”. The Verdi union called on not only employees, but also insured people, patients and citizens in general to take part in the protests.
Verdi: Don’t buy contribution stability with a crowbar
“The stability of contributions to statutory health insurance must not be bought with a crowbar through austerity policies,” said Robert Hinke, regional head of health care at Verdi Bavaria. Especially in a large country like Bavaria, hospitals are an indispensable part of the infrastructure.
It was said that around 5.1 billion euros would be withdrawn from hospitals nationwide next year. The Munich Clinic alone was expected to account for 32 million euros, calculated the left-wing parliamentary group leader in the city council, Stefan Jagel.
Support came from Bavaria’s Health Minister Judith Gerlach (CSU), who had demanded corrections to the draft law during the protests. It is understandable that hospitals should also make their contribution to consolidating the funds’ finances, she said. “But this should not risk the economic collapse of numerous clinics.”/sd/DP/men