28. November 2014. The German Bundestag approved the federal budget for 2015 today. In his budget speech of November 25, 2014, Federal Minister of Health Hermann Gröhe already welcomed the expected resolution of parliament: “A budget without new debt is a signal of intergenerational justice, but it also strengthens economic development and thus maintains the foundations on which then also bulging social funds for the security of the people in this country.
At the same time, Federal Minister Gröhe gave a positive assessment of the work of the Federal Government and offered an outlook on future priorities of government work. The First Care Strengthening Act will lead to a significant increase in benefits as of January 1, 2015 and will significantly improve the situation of those in need of care, their relatives and those employed in care. In the Second Care Strengthening Act, a new, more individual definition of the need for care is implemented. In December, Gröhe continues, the cabinet will deal with the Statutory Health Insurance Supply Strengthening Act.
The aim is to strengthen good inpatient and outpatient care in the face of demographic change and to ensure good medical care in rural areas. A federal and state working group is currently working on key points for the reform of hospital care. With an eHealth law, the application of modern information and communication technologies in the field of health care should be promoted. The draft of a prevention law, which is being coordinated with the federal states and associations, will pave the way for a national prevention strategy in which all actors make their contribution to a health-promoting lifestyle – from daycare and school to the workplace and care for the elderly.
The budget of the Federal Ministry of Health 2015 at a glance
The federal subsidy to the health fund, which amounts to 11.5 billion euros, makes up the largest part of the total budget of the Federal Ministry of Health of around 12.1 billion euros. Political spending priorities are in the area of measures for health education, of which around 41 million euros
- around 8.7 million euros for drug education
- EUR 11.9 million for AIDS education
- and around 29 million euros for research activities in the health sector
are provided.
In the course of the parliamentary deliberations, additional funds of around 3.1 million were budgeted for the BMG to combat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. In addition, the funds available to combat drug and addictive substance abuse were increased by 1.5 million for measures
- to prevent crystal meth use
- to combat gambling addiction
- for school addiction prevention.
- Additional funds were also provided for health advice and education for refugees (EUR 500,000) and for the prevention of obesity in children (+ EUR 1 million).