German Social Association criticizes planned financing of hospital reform
"This one-sided burden on insured individuals we reject", stated Engelmeier. Instead, the reform should be funded through tax resources, as the tax system better considers income distribution differences and enables fairer burden distribution. "Only then can the reform achieve its goals and benefit all citizens."
The core piece of the hospital reform is a new reimbursement system that aims to alleviate economic pressure on hospitals. In addition, the plans of Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) include a Transformation Fund, which is intended to finance the transformation of the hospital landscape over the next ten years. The Fund should be endowed with 50 billion Euro - half financed by the states and half by the statutory health insurance funds.
The Bundestag will debate the draft law on the "Improvement of Care Quality in Hospitals and Reform of Remuneration Structures" in first reading on Thursday. Afterwards, the bill goes to the relevant expert committees for further consideration.
Michaela Engelmeier, a prominent figure in the German Social Association, agrees with financing the hospital reform through tax resources, as this approach considers income distribution differences more effectively. The proposed Traffic light coalition's hospital reform, including the new reimbursement system and Karl Lauterbach's Transformation Fund, could benefit from this fairer financing approach. Engelmeier emphasizes that only then can the reform truly benefit all German citizens.
