BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – There was a lot of wrangling over Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach’s hospital reform – now implementation should begin. “We are now spending a lot of money on the necessary renovation,” said the SPD politician to the German Press Agency. In the long term, however, this will save costs and significantly improve treatment results. Specifically, the ministry is preparing to launch a billion-dollar fund to support the reorganization of the clinic network. The health insurance companies complain about the burden on contributors.
Funds with up to 25 billion euros
The “transformation fund” is part of the reform that was sealed at the end of last year after the traffic light coalition collapsed. Up to 25 billion euros should be able to flow from this from 2026 to 2035 – provided that countries contribute the same amount to the respective projects. The money should come from funds from the statutory health insurance companies and – depending on their share of the treatments – also from private health insurance companies.
The fund is to be set up at the Federal Office for Social Security. And money will flow for a number of projects that aim to concentrate capacities and increase specialization. This emerges from the draft of a regulation that Lauterbach now wants to submit to the Federal Council as quickly as possible. “Many hospitals, even very good ones, will only survive if applications for transformation can be submitted in the summer,” said the minister.
Funding for renovations and closures
According to the draft, the restructuring of clinic locations and the formation of regional associations in order to reduce duplicate structures should be eligible for funding. There should be money for the development of networks for telemedicine and centers for rare and complex diseases. Projects to close hospitals, particularly in areas with a high density of hospitals, should also be eligible for funding
– but not if a closure affects the supply of the
population would deteriorate significantly.
In general, it should be important that “predominantly existing structures are not retained,” it says in the draft. No funding should therefore flow for investments that are already made in the renovation of buildings or the replacement of outdated equipment. “Rather, the project must serve to improve the hospital structures as a whole.” In addition, new projects must only be implemented after July 1st. The states’ applications should be submitted via an online portal.
Health insurance companies warn of premium increases
The umbrella association of statutory health insurance companies welcomed the fact that the hospital renovation would soon begin. “But to burden the contributors once again is absurd,” said spokesman Florian Lanz to the dpa. The conversion of the clinic structures is just as much a state task as the construction of roads and bridges. Nevertheless, the statutory health insurance funds should pay an extra 2.5 billion euros per year from 2026. “For this alone there will have to be new increases in contributions.” The association is currently examining the possibilities of a constitutional complaint against it.
The Federal Council cleared the way for the controversial hospital reform in November. It is to be implemented gradually until 2029. The realignment is intended to reduce financial pressure and achieve more specialization. The network of 1,700 clinics is likely to become smaller.
Uniform quality specifications
Essentially, the remuneration should be changed with flat rates for treatment cases and a large part should be paid for the provision of certain offers. The basis for financing by the health insurance companies should be new “performance groups”. They should describe clinic treatments in more detail and enforce uniform quality standards, for example in terms of staff or treatment experience.
Many hospitals have long been struggling with financial difficulties, unoccupied beds and a lack of staff. The states and the clinic industry had therefore called for bridging financing until the reform took full effect./sam/DP/he