The traffic light is combating heart disease in this manner.
The German government is aiming to combat the leading cause of deaths in the country: Through the newly proposed "Healthy Heart Act," the ruling coalition is focusing on prevention, particularly for heart attacks and strokes. The proposed measures are causing concern among health insurance providers.
The coalition plans to enhance prevention of cardiovascular diseases by offering regular health checks for early detection and making cholesterol-reducing medications more accessible. The draft of the "Healthy Heart Act" was approved by the federal cabinet and now awaits approval from the Parliament. "This law will save numerous lives in Germany," stated Health Minister Karl Lauterbach. Cardiologists endorse the law, but criticism was voiced by health insurance providers.
Heart and vascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, are the leading cause of deaths in Germany, accounting for around one-third of all fatalities. In 2023, approximately 348,000 people died from these diseases, according to the Federal Statistical Office. The financial burden on Germany's healthcare system is also significant: in 2020, it amounted to nearly 57 billion euros, making cardiovascular diseases the most costly health issue.
The Federal Ministry of Health also refers to studies indicating that up to 70 percent of these diseases are largely due to unhealthy lifestyles - poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption. Lauterbach aims to address this issue with his law. "Germany's cardiological care is excellent, but what's lacking is preventive medicine," he emphasized.
Health insurers worry about increased expenses
The proposed legislation calls for regular examinations for children, young adults, and adults to detect and prevent disorders. It also includes plans for insured individuals to have expanded access to smoking cessation medications and for doctors to more easily prescribe cholesterol-lowering drugs. Lauterbach hopes that this will "boost life expectancy." His ministry has closely followed the recommendations of the German Society of Cardiology (DGK), which applauded the law as a "positive first step."
In Germany, relatively little is spent on the prevention and early detection of cardiovascular diseases, stated DGK board member and cardiologist Stephan Baldus, introducing the law. This is "essential for enhancing heart health" in the country.
However, health insurance providers have criticized the law. They fear higher costs. "The proposed measures will not improve heart health but exacerbate the already precarious financial situation of statutory health insurance," warned the chairwoman of the AOK federal association, Carola Reimann. Around 3.8 billion euros in extra costs are anticipated.
The law is "misguided," says the association of statutory health insurance funds (GKV). With the draft, prevention structures established over the years with contribution funds are threatened. The prevention programs of the insurers have not yielded the expected results, said Lauterbach. He does not expect "significant additional costs." - Instead, the costs from these programs will be transferred to the new measures.
The CDU calls for a sports promotion campaign.
Criticism also comes from within the Union and the Greens. "Medications that have side effects for years should not be made the primary solution," said CDU health politician Tino Sorge. "Instead, it's time for a genuine campaign for exercise and a balanced, healthy diet, and to expand existing prevention structures."
The law should serve early detection and strengthen prevention, stated Green Bundestag member Renate Künast: "So far, so good. But in my opinion, we should start much earlier." Prevention starts with the underlying causes. "That is, addressing more and more children and young people's consumption of excessive sugar and unhealthy food every day, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases."
Therefore, the cabinet must finally pass the law for better child protection in advertising. "So that children and young people are not tempted to consume unhealthy food at every turn and don't even develop nutrition-related diseases." The corresponding bill was presented by Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir in February of last year.
The "Healthy Heart Act" includes plans to make cholesterol-reducing medicines more accessible, which are considered crucial medicinal products for preventing heart attacks and strokes. Concerns about increased expenses due to these measures have been voiced by health insurance providers.
