Germany’s leading hospital association, the Deutsche Krankenhausgesellschaft (DKG), is aggressively pushing for a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s healthcare system, proposing significant increases in patient co-payments and a broader shift toward individual financial responsibility. The proposals, revealed in an interview with the Bild newspaper, are intended to curb escalating healthcare expenditure but have already drawn criticism from patient advocacy groups and opposition politicians.
DKG President Gerald Gaß argues that the current system is unsustainable, citing mounting financial pressures on hospitals and the need for fundamental reform. His most controversial suggestion involves doubling the daily co-payment for hospital stays from 10 to 20 euros, a change he claims would generate an additional 800 million euros annually for health insurance funds. Furthermore, the DKG proposes a fee of 30 to 40 euros for patients who bypass preliminary telephone consultations and directly access hospital emergency centers, positioning this as a measure to reduce unnecessary strain on emergency services.
While presented as a pragmatic solution, the proposals are raising concerns about potential barriers to essential care and exacerbating inequalities within the German healthcare landscape. Critics argue that increased co-payments disproportionately affect lower-income individuals and families, potentially deterring them from seeking necessary medical attention. Concerns are also being voiced about the feasibility and fairness of charging fees for emergency room access, particularly given complexities in assessing the urgency of a patient’s condition at the point of arrival.
Beyond financial adjustments, Gaß is advocating for deregulation within hospitals to streamline operations and a greater emphasis on preventative healthcare measures. He specifically calls for increased physical activity opportunities and nutritional education in kindergartens and schools, along with a swift implementation of a sugar tax to combat rising obesity rates. This broader vision seeks to address the systemic factors contributing to healthcare costs, but detractors suggest the focus on individual financial responsibility risks obscuring the need for broader structural reforms addressing issues such as administrative bloat and negotiating power within the pharmaceutical industry. The DKG’s proposals are poised to trigger a fierce debate, underscoring the complexities of navigating the future of public healthcare in Germany.