Following the criticism from general practitioners, Andreas Gassen, the Chairman of the Federal Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), has also strongly criticized the cost-saving plans put forward by Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken (CDU), warning that they threaten the collapse of the primary care system.
Speaking to the “Rheinische Post” on Friday, Gassen stated that it is “completely unclear how a primary care system is supposed to function” given the details of the GKV savings plans presented by Minister Warken.
He elaborated that the proposed measures would eliminate existing financial incentives for practicing physicians to effectively manage patient care. Furthermore, he argued that there is a distinct lack of political will to establish concrete financial commitments for patients. Gassen questioned the government’s ability to expect general practitioners to provide more work while receiving less funding.
The KBV had previously labeled Warken’s proposals as “completely unplanned” and a “destruction program for general practitioner practices” concluding that the primary care system “cannot be established” under such terms.
