Discussions surrounding the planned health reform, being championed by Minister Nina Warken (CDU), continue rapidly despite not yet receiving an official cabinet approval. On Monday, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Health informed the dpa news agency that internal cabinet consultations are still ongoing. While the ministry remains “optimistic” that the draft law will reach the cabinet by Wednesday, the spokesperson also cautioned that last-minute changes to the detailed draft-which was approximately 160 pages thick-cannot be excluded before the legislation enters parliamentary procedure.
The planned cuts in the healthcare sector have faced criticism, even over the weekend, coming from various sources, including social welfare groups, as well as political parties like the CDU and the SPD. For instance, North Rhine-Westphalia Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) demanded additional funding to secure benefits for those receiving citizen’s income payments. Meanwhile, the SPD’s general secretary called for greater accountability from pharmaceutical corporations. Furthermore, the Green parliamentary group plans to hold a closed-door session on Tuesday to vote on an alternative proposal.