Stephan Pilsinger, a CSU politician and deputy chairman of the health committee, has warned against proposed cuts to organ donation counseling ahead of National Organ Donation Day. He stated that removing the medical billing code would likely lead to a decline in donor numbers. According to Pilsinger, eliminating this code-which essentially removes the option for doctors to inform patients about organ donation-is not a good idea. He highlighted that he had presented his opposition internally within the coalition and expressed hope that this measure, which would only result in a minor savings, would be removed from the draft legislation.
These proposed cuts are part of a broader package aimed at saving money for statutory health insurance funds. Specifically, they plan to discontinue payment for organ donation counseling provided by physicians’ practices. Pilsinger argued that the regular interaction between doctors and patients presents an ideal opportunity to introduce people to this “difficult subject,” encouraging them to consider post-mortem organ donation and sign up in a registry immediately.
