2024-05-11 14:46:49
Anyone who is sick has a free choice of doctor in Germany. However, statutory health insurance doctors complain about unnecessary visits to the doctor – and want to counteract this with a bonus model.
The problems in the healthcare system are well known: Doctors’ practices are full and health insurance contributions are high. Doctors now want to take action against the high costs in the healthcare system and reduce unnecessary visits to the doctor. And patients should also benefit from this.
To this end, the chairman of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), Andreas Gassen, suggested in the “Bild” that insured people should voluntarily look for a so-called “regular doctor” in the future and have all referrals to other doctors – such as dermatologists or orthopedists – go through him .
Regular doctors should avoid unnecessary treatments
According to KBV chairman Gassen, the background is that it is not uncommon for a patient to go to several general practitioners and specialists, all of whom carry out similar examinations. This costs the practices time and the health insurance companies money.
The solution approach: “If, for example, the family doctor, gynecologist or, in the case of chronic illnesses, the treating specialist practice acts as a contact point for the patient and coordinates the referral to medical services, this control could prevent patients from arranging unnecessary appointments or unsuitable treatments themselves.”
100 Euro Patient Bonus
According to the statutory health insurance physicians, anyone who chooses a family doctor as the first point of contact when they have health problems and has them referred to specialists should receive an annual bonus: “Depending on effectiveness and patient behavior, this reward could perhaps be up to 100 euros per year,” says Gassens Suggestion. It would then be attractive for insured persons to take part in voluntary control.