During the German Physicians’ Conference in Hanover, the President of the Federal Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt, strongly criticized the draft bill put forth by Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken concerning the stabilization of health care contributions. He stated that the proposed funding mechanism was inadequate, calling the current payment commitment from Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil a “disgrace”. Reinhardt argued that since twelve billion euros are actually required, the Deputy Chancellor’s offer was merely a fraction of that amount.
Specifically, he dismissed the minister’s current proposal of 250 million euros as a “joke” especially because the minister concurrently plans to reduce the standard federal subsidy by two billion euros. Given the strained budget situation, Reinhardt proposed that the federal government should initially allocate three billion euros in 2027. He emphasized that basic security funding is “crystal clear a societal task” and that it is irresponsible to shift this burden entirely onto contributors and service providers.
While acknowledging that the medical community is prepared for spending cuts, Reinhardt stressed that any reductions must be well justified and balanced. Moreover, he urged the political sphere to honestly acknowledge that healthcare reforms can have negative consequences, such as increased waiting times or reduced time for physician consultations. To counter this, he proposed establishing an independent “Supply TÜV”-a review board that would assess every health policy draft based on patient waiting times, staff workload, and regional supply security. Reinhardt called upon the Bundestag to integrate this kind of impact assessment into the legislative process itself.
In other related professional matters, Reinhardt also stated that he would treat Minister Warken respectfully during the conference, noting that she cannot be expected to be responsible for the dilapidated situation she inherited. Separately, the Physicians’ Union in Marburg also advocated for stricter liquor dispensing rules, suggesting that high-proof alcoholic beverages should be exclusively offered in licensed “alcohol shops”.
