- The advantageous impact on heart health from proactive defensive measures.
Enhancing preventative healthcare through regular screenings aims to lessen numerous fatalities from cardiovascular ailments like heart attacks and strokes. The federal cabinet has set legislative strategies, led by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, that offer extra choices for early detection and prevention, subsidized by health insurance firms—initially targeting children to identify inherited disorders. Lauterbach asserted that this law will "save numerous lives." However, health insurers warned of compromising other preventative activities.
Lauterbach clarified, "We must prioritize safeguarding our heart health." Germany has grappled with an excessive number of heart-related deaths for years. Despite several action plans and appeals, essential risk factors are frequently discovered and treated late compared to other nations.
The proposal thus includes various new measures. Initially, there was backlash against direct regulation by law, but now the Joint Federal Committee, comprising doctors, health insurance firms, and hospitals, will supervise the specific implementation.
For children...
... the common and widely utilized U9 examination at around age five will be broadened to include testing for lipid metabolism disorders with excessive cholesterol in the blood. Approximately 5,000 to 10,000 children of a birth year have such inherited disorders, often resulting in a first heart attack at 25 or 35 if left untreated, as Lauterbach explained. These children could then be prescribed cholesterol-lowering medications. Furthermore, other relatives could be specifically examined for such inherited risk factors.
For adolescents...
... health insurance firms will be obligated to invite them to the often disregarded youth health examination (J1) at the age of 12 to 14. The emphasis will be on educating about risk behaviors such as smoking. Early recognition of emerging severe obesity, lack of exercise, or posture disorders will also be a priority, as Lauterbach emphasized.
For adults...
... existing health examinations will be expanded to incorporate screening for cardiovascular diseases at the ages of 25, 40, and 50. Cholesterol will also be analyzed, and treatment with cholesterol-lowering medications will be covered by health insurance firms if levels are elevated. The Joint Federal Committee is preparing a new guideline for this, said Lauterbach.
The demand for medications to help quit smoking will no longer be confined to "severe" dependence and will be usable more frequently than every three years. Vouchers for consultations and measurements in pharmacies are also planned.
Cardiovascular diseases are the primary reason for deaths in Germany. In 2021, 348,000 people perished from them, which accounts for one-third of all deaths. Despite high healthcare spending, Germany's life expectancy of 80.6 years in 2022 is significantly lower than in other Western European countries, as the ministry explained.
At the same time, billions are spent on the treatment of cardiovascular cases. The law also aims to lower these costs. The ministry estimates potential savings at several hundred million euros per year in the draft.
Criticism from health insurers. The General Local Health Insurers (AOK) agreed that boosting prevention is correct. However, the traffic light coalition's measures are "off the mark," warned the head of the federal association, Carola Reimann. Instead of introducing unnecessary investigations of questionable value and undermining valuable prevention offers, the law should be nullified. The only "small bright spot" is that the Joint Federal Committee of the health sector is to be more involved.
Opposition demands campaign for sports and nutrition
The chairman of the committee, Josef Hecken, stated that identifying and combating risk factors for cardiovascular diseases as early as possible has always been a clear objective. Now, the plans also align with this path. "The danger that healthcare will shift more towards state medicine has been significantly reduced by the new draft."
Union health policy expert Tino Sorge (CDU) called for the opportunity to launch a "proper campaign" for more sports and healthy nutrition and to extend established prevention structures.
Lauterbach further stressed, "Identifying and treating heart conditions early can significantly reduce the number of heart attacks." Unfortunately, many heart-related issues in Germany are detected and treated late, leading to higher fatality rates compared to other countries.
Due to the genetic nature of some lipid metabolism disorders, which can result in heart attacks in children as young as 25 or 35 if left untreated, the proposal includes extensive testing during the U9 examination for around 5,000 to 10,000 children each year.
