German Advisers Seek Health Reform Changes

German government advisers have recommended that a number of changes bemade to the draft legislation which marks the third phase of health care reform to Health Minister Horst Seehofer.

Key recommendations from the advisers include the replacement of the current drug budgets for doctors with pack-size guidelines, and changes to the patient charges regime.

Mr Seehofer has indicated that extra patient charges are to be introduced in line with increases in health fund premium rates, despite protests from the sick funds. However, consideration is now being given to whether fund increases undertaken to counter the expenditure overhang in 1996 could be exempted from the charges regulation.