- Hospital debate: Werner rejects opposition criticism
Health Minister Heike Werner sees limited options for the state to address economic problems in hospitals. She stated in Erfurt that there are no possibilities to balance financial gaps in the operating costs of hospitals from state funds, as the current legal regulations on clinic financing do not allow this. Operating costs must be covered by the revenues of the clinics for treatments provided, which are financed by statutory health insurers. Investments, such as in construction measures or the acquisition of medical technology, are the responsibility of the states.
Werner responded to criticism from the CDU. The opposition party had accused the red-red-green state government of neglecting clinics and not providing sufficient support for necessary investments during the state election campaign. Werner rejected this again, stating that "insolvencies do not arise from lack of investment costs, but from persistently underfunded operating costs." Previously, Minister President Bodo Ramelow (Left) had accused the CDU faction leader Mario Voigt of "election campaign noise on the backs of hospitals."
Thuringia has been affected by two clinic insolvencies this year - the Bavarian-Thuringian Regiomed consortium with locations also in the districts of Sonneberg and Hildburghausen, and the Sternbach Clinic in Schleiz. Many clinics are currently struggling with increasing operating costs due to inflation and rising personnel expenses. Recently, the University Hospital Jena has complained about insufficient financing and indicated a need for financial state aid. Werner stated that an insolvency is excluded here, as the state will step in as a guarantor for the university hospital.
Hospitals are reimbursed with fixed prices per treatment case, which are oriented towards the diagnosis. Each year, health insurers and hospitals negotiate a statewide average value per treatment, which is around 4,200 euros this year. Werner stated that the increase in this average value is legally capped, and she spoke of a "price brake." "And that is the reason for the difficult situation of many clinics."
As the only federal state alongside Brandenburg, Thuringia has introduced a guarantee program to secure clinic loans. The corresponding directive is currently being coordinated in the cabinet, and the state government is awaiting a supplementary federal legal detail on such aid.
The clinic reform planned by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) aims to partially change the remuneration system, so that the hospitals will receive a large part of the remuneration already for the provision of certain services. Many clinics find the transition phase until then difficult. The financial reform is scheduled to take effect in 2027, said Werner. Thuringia, together with the other federal states, has unsuccessfully sought transitional financing from the federal government.
Werner once again pointed out that under red-red-green, the investment funding for hospitals, which had been frozen at 50 million euros per year under the previous CDU-led government, has been gradually increased to 75 million euros. However, the investment quota remains below the necessary mark of eight percent of revenues, according to AOK Plus. Therefore, clinics have to finance investments from the cash remuneration, and this money is then lacking to absorb cost increases.
Continuation of Regiomed Locations Imminent
Meanwhile, the continuation of Regiomed locations in Thuringia is imminent. The rehabilitation clinic in Masserberg and the outpatient center in Hildburghausen, as well as the Hildburghausen Hospital, are set to be managed by the district in the future, as Regiomed announced following a meeting of the creditors' committee. The change of shareholders is planned for October 1st of this year.
A decision by the Sonneberg county council on the clinics in Sonneberg and Neuhaus, as well as the outpatient center in Sonneberg, is expected on August 7th. It has already been announced that the AWO will take over senior centers and residential homes, and the emergency service will be transferred to the ASB rescue service in Thuringia.
The Health Minister acknowledged the challenges hospitals face in covering their operating costs, particularly due to inflation and rising personnel expenses, emphasizing that investments are the responsibility of the states. She also mentioned that a price cap exists for the increase in the average value per treatment, contributing to the financial struggles of many clinics.
In the context of the clinic reform proposed by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, many clinics find the transition period difficult, and Thuringia, along with other federal states, has unsuccessfully sought transitional financing from the federal government.
