Well-being is the focus here. - Lauterbach perceives progress in hospital reform.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach expects the debated hospital reform between the federal government and the states to commence by the end of the year. He's "completely confident that we'll have the reform up and running by January 25th," said the SPD minister during the closing of the Health Ministers' Conference in Lübeck's Travemünde Seaside Resort on Thursday. He noted that negotiations with various factions remain constructive.
Furthermore, Lauterbach emphasized the significance of the hospital reform for rural areas. "If we don't implement the hospital reform, we'll face a crisis situation for many hospitals in rural areas next year," he said. The minister believes this can be avoided through the inclusion of security allowances, emergency care funding, intensive care, obstetrics, pediatrics, and various other specific regulations.
The conference concluded on a surprisingly cooperative note, with the federal government agreeing to consider most state demands. These demands will be incorporated during the ongoing parliamentary approval process.
CDU's Kerstin von der Decken, chairwoman of the Health Ministers' Conference, mentioned that the states aren't worried about delays in the process during the Federal Council. Rather, it's about whether the proposed amendments receive majority support in the Bundestag. "As long as our demands are considered, there's no issue," she said. However, passing the law without an impact assessment, according to her, would be unwise.
A crucial component of the hospital reform is the abandonment of case tariffs. Instead, flat-rate tariffs would be introduced for certain services, providing a form of assurance for clinics even if they only provide a limited number of treatments.
The conference explored more than 50 proposals in total. Key topics covered were personnel shortages, insufficient supplies, and drug shortages. All parties agreed on speeding up the recognition process for foreign medical professionals and doctors. Additionally, the federal government was asked to adjust financing conditions so that local pharmacies can guarantee drug supply.
The goal is to reduce Germany's reliance on medicines from non-EU suppliers. To do this, financing for generics would be adjusted, making local and European production profitable again. Excess bureaucracy should also be removed.
Schleswig-Holstein's Health Minister has announced that Thuringia will assume the leadership role in the Health Ministers' Conference. The Thuringian Health Minister, Heike Werner (Left), has invited her federal government and state colleagues to Weimar in June to discuss further reform projects. "It's clear that the significant reforms at the federal level will continue to occupy us," she stated.
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