Health reform could endanger Rhineland-Palatinate's hospitals

A proposed reform of Germany's statutory health insurance system is raising alarms among healthcare providers in Rhineland-Palatinate, who fear it will jeopardize the region's hospital services. Frank Lambert, chairman of the Rhineland-Palatinate Hospital Association (KGRP), stated that the draft law would mean less funding, resulting in reduced services and patient safety.

A simulation suggests that by 2030, only 19% of hospitals nationwide might remain profitable under the reform, a scenario Lambert believes is applicable to Rhineland-Palatinate. "So, it is accepted that only 19 percent of clinics will operate economically and over 80 percent will have a high risk of insolvency," he said.

The federal cabinet's plan aims to relieve statutory health insurers of 16.3 billion euros in 2027 to cover an anticipated deficit and prevent increases in supplementary contributions. Measures include spending caps for practices, hospitals, and the pharmaceutical industry, alongside higher co-payments for medications and restrictions on spousal co-insurance.

Beyond the KGRP, representatives from the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, the State Medical Chamber, the Nursing Chamber, the Association of Hospital Management, and the Association of German Cities have also criticized the proposal. While acknowledging the need for reform, Günther Matheis, president of the State Medical Chamber, argued that the current draft threatens long-term care. He suggested that non-insurance-related benefits should be cut, stating, "The coverage of people receiving Bürgergeld is a state task and should not be borne solely by the publicly insured."

Hartmut Münzel, deputy chairman of the KGRP, highlighted the particular challenge for a sprawling state like Rhineland-Palatinate with fewer urban centers. "If one or the other facility goes into insolvency, then there is a big problem in the region that people will also notice," he warned. Currently, Rhineland-Palatinate has about 80 hospitals, with nearly half (48%) operated by non-profit organizations, often charitable or religious groups, while others are municipally owned.