The chair of the German Doctors’ Association (KBV), Andreas Gassen, warned that physicians are likely to protest the upcoming cost‑cutting measures for ambulatory care. He told the news magazine Politico that the medical profession is already feeling the squeeze, with many doctors saying they are being “cut” further.
On Monday, Health Minister Nina Warken’s financial commission presented 66 proposals aimed at relieving the statutory health insurance (GKV). Her report estimated a total savings potential of more than €42 billion, although experts argue that only about €15 billion is necessary to keep contributions stable. Approximately €5 billion of those proposals target medical services.
Gassen noted that doctors are already paid low rates, and the new cuts would further reduce remuneration: “They are literally trimming doctors’ wages”. He added that this will inevitably trigger activity from professional associations, not the associations themselves. By comparison, the pharmacists’ union staged a nationwide protest on March 23, demanding a higher fixed pharmacy fee of €9.50.
According to Gassen, the situation for doctors is fundamentally different. “It’s not just that an increase would be insufficient; it’s about the scale of the cutbacks”. He cited the recent 4.5 % reduction in psychotherapy fees as an example, asking readers to imagine the impact on other professional groups in Germany.
The chair warned that such reductions will shrink the supply of services. Expecting physicians to work more for less money is, in his view, “not just foolish but actually wrong”. This, he said, will inevitably lead to longer waiting times for patients. The average waiting time for a specialist appointment for statutory insured patients in 2024 was 42 days, nine days longer than in 2019. Minister Warken aims to shorten wait times through her primary care reform, and a draft proposal is expected soon.