The German Society for Pain Medicine (DGS) has sharply criticized the planned cuts within the healthcare system. According to the experts, these intended reductions threaten the long-term outpatient care for individuals suffering from chronic pain.
During a discussion about the draft bill aimed at stabilizing contribution rates within the Statutory Health Insurance, DGS President Richard Ibrahim stated that “The austerity measures negatively impact the patient group that most urgently requires stable care structures”. He emphasized that chronic pain requires continuous support, necessitating sustainable funding for outpatient care, multidisciplinary teams, reduced bureaucracy, and a clear prioritization of care for chronically ill people. Ibrahim called on policymakers to consider the specific needs of people with chronic pain when developing reforms, adding that maintaining stable outpatient pain medicine is essential for preserving quality of life, societal participation, and avoiding inpatient treatments.
The professional society further noted that pain patients rely on continuous, time-intensive, and multidisciplinary treatment. The doctors explained that they would immediately feel the effects of any financial capping in the outpatient sector because limited reimbursement will inevitably lead to curtailed services.
A particular concern for the DGS is the planned elimination of incentive payments under the Appointment Service and Care Act (TSVG). Data from the Central Institute for Outpatient Care indicates that these incentives have helped improve appointment scheduling. The group warned that reducing the availability of appointments heightens the risk of chronification for pain patients due to delayed diagnosis and therapy. Furthermore, there is a risk that practices might respond to the financial cuts by laying off staff or restricting services, which could lead to extended waiting periods-an additional burden for individuals already facing long waits for appointments and treatment today.