Lauterbach: Without reform, 25 percent of hospitals would die

“Without the reform, 25 percent of the hospitals would probably die,” Lauterbach told the “Bild” newspaper.

The Bavarian Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) again called on Lauterbach to revise his reform plans. The countries should be able to decide for themselves which care takes place where, he told the editorial network Germany (RND/Thursday). “Everything else is unconstitutional.” It should not happen that the “green table in the Berlin bubble” decides about the local hospitals. “I see the current proposals for reform jeopardize the supply close to home, especially in large countries like Bavaria,” he warned.

Lauterbach is aiming for a concrete clinic law over the summer

In the struggle for reform, Lauterbach will meet his country colleagues in Berlin this Thursday for further consultations. The federal minister had made it clear that he was aiming for more concrete proposals for a law over the summer. In essence, the remuneration system is to be changed with flat rates for treatment cases in order to relieve the hospitals of economic pressure.

Discussions with the federal states are primarily about the planned classification of the clinic network with corresponding financing – from basic care close to home to a second level with further offers up to maximum care providers such as university clinics. Uniform quality criteria are also planned so that clinics can provide certain services. The industry had recently again warned of acute financial difficulties in many hospitals.