BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) has met with concentrated criticism from health insurance funds, trade unions and employers with his plans for hospital reform. "Instead of a fair distribution of the burden between the federal government, the federal states and the health insurance funds, the legislator is imposing the additional transformation costs in the billions on the contributors to statutory health insurance alone," said AOK Federal Board Chairwoman Carola Reimann to the "Augsburger Allgemeine" (Wednesday). DAK boss Andreas Storm described the plans as a "classic redistribution from the bottom to the top". "Not including the privately insured and civil servants at all is completely unacceptable."

The Federal Association of Employers also criticized the financing of the transformation fund from the health fund of the health insurance companies and state funds. "The scrapping premium for hospitals, co-financed by the contributors, is rubbish," Managing Director Steffen Kampeter told the newspaper.

The German Trade Union Federation called on Lauterbach to finance the reform from tax revenues. "If the reform is to succeed, contributors must not foot the majority of the bill," said Anja Piel, member of the federal executive board. "The federal government, federal states and local authorities must jointly cover this with tax revenue. Private health insurance must also make an appropriate contribution."

Reimann from the AOK and Storm from the DAK described the savings promised by the Ministry as untenable. Storm pointed out "that savings are even mentioned from 2025, although the restructuring of the hospital landscape is not due to begin until 2026". Reimann explained: "Huge costs are looming for the restructuring and modernization of the hospital landscape, while the savings outlined in the draft are completely illusory."

The first draft of the hospital reform was published at the weekend. The aim is to ensure that hospitals no longer have to treat as many patients as possible for reasons of turnover. Today, hospitals receive a lump sum per patient or treatment case. These flat rates per case are to be reduced. In return, there are to be fixed amounts for the provision of staff, an emergency room or necessary medical technology. The CDU/CSU has also already criticized the draft bill./wim/DP/zb