Sonja Optendrenk, the newly appointed chairwoman of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA), has called for a reevaluation of the current system that excludes weight-loss medications from reimbursement by statutory health insurance funds. Speaking to Spiegel, she stated that “Germany is having a lagging discussion about obesity.” She noted that other countries, such as Great Britain, have “consistently accepted that this is a real disease that cannot simply be turned around by sport and better nutrition.”
Currently, medications like Wegovy or Mounjaro are legally classified in Germany as “lifestyle” preparations, meaning patients must pay for them themselves. Optendrenk remarked that the fact that even drugs specifically approved to treat obesity fall under these paragraphs sends a signal of “missing recognition” to those affected. She proposed that it would be worthwhile to consider recognizing such weight-loss medications as covered medical treatment under certain conditions.
Optendrenk pointed out that the legislature has already adjusted rules regarding tobacco cessation aids. She suggested that the G-BA could be tasked with clarifying which patient groups should receive these drugs, for how long, and what accompanying measures are necessary. However, she issued a caution: “If the weight immediately returns after stopping, a single injection is not a complete care concept.” She also noted the lack of long-term studies in the field.
The chairwoman expressed strong criticism regarding Germany’s previous drug pricing policies. “So far, we have pursued industrial policy concerning our drug prices, but that no longer works,” she stated. She argued that health insurance cannot indefinitely maintain high prices solely to promote the pharmaceutical industry in Germany. Regarding President Donald Trump’s accusation that Europe allows Americans to subsidize its medicines, Optendrenk refuted this, saying, “Germany is not a low-price country; medicines here are significantly more expensive than in most other countries.” She added that if the United States wished for lower prices, they could regulate them themselves at any time.
Turning to hospital reforms, Optendrenk anticipates that the number of hospitals in Germany-currently around 1,800-will definitely decrease. She emphasized that the crucial factor is not the sheer number of institutions but “that every hospital does what it does best.” Operations requiring specialized knowledge should take place in specialized medical centers.
Describing her role, Optendrenk leads the Federal Joint Committee, Germany’s highest body for joint health management since early July, which determines which services and therapies are covered and reimbursed by the statutory health insurance funds for its 74 million insured members.
Meanwhile, the designated Federal Minister of Health, Carsten Linnemann (CDU), defended Optendrenk against skepticism about her health policy experience, remarking, “A Minister Linnemann could even be helpful: He has a different access to the economy and perhaps speaks to it differently.”
