Patients in Germany should finally be able to feel the benefits of digitization. That is why the Federal Ministry of Health is driving with the E-Health Act, which passed the Federal Council on December 18, 2015, advances progress in healthcare. This creates a telematics infrastructure with the highest security standards. Practical application examples of digital networking are the medication plan, the emergency data and the digital patient file. A two-key principle protects the data: it can only be accessed with the patient’s personal PIN and a doctor’s medical card.
This is another important step towards improved care GKV Care Strengthening Act, which came into force on July 23, 2015. The law aims to ensure that patients can continue to receive high-quality, easily accessible medical care in the future. It also obliges the Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KV) to set up appointment service points. Patients can contact them to get an appointment with a specialist within four weeks at the latest.
This ensures fairer competition between health insurance companies Statutory Health Insurance Fund Structure and Quality Development Act (GKV-FQWG), which will come into effect on January 1, 2015. The general contribution rate is 14.6 percent. It is paid half by the employee and half by the employer. In addition, every health insurance company can levy income-related additional contributions for its members. With a special right of termination, members have the opportunity to switch to a cheaper health insurance company if the previous health insurance company charges or increases an additional fee. Insured persons should not only look at the price, but above all at the service and benefits. The health insurance companies must inform their members in a letter about a (first-time) survey or an increase and refer to an overview of the GKV-Spitzenverband on the additional contributions of all health insurance companies.
Curbing expenditure on pharmaceuticals and strengthening primary care are the goals of 13th and 14th SGB V Amendment Act. By extending the price moratorium until December 31, 2017, the statutory health insurance companies and thus the contributors save around 650 million euros a year. In addition, family doctor contracts have been adjusted so that existing remuneration restrictions are lifted and health insurance companies will agree on cost-effectiveness criteria and quality assurance regulations with family doctors in future, compliance with which must be regularly demonstrated to the supervisory authority.