Seehofer Pledges To Cut German Drug Consumption

The German Social Democratic Party's social affairs spokesman, Rudolf Dressler, says he fears a drastic increase in the sums which patients insured through the public-sector health funds will have to pay for their drugs and medicines in future, following the government's proposed revised legislation.

From January, each fund premium rise must be matched by higher patient contributions. Mr Dressler says a 1% rise in premiums could mean extra payments by patients rising to as much as 18 Deutschemarks ($10). Increases in premium rates are inevitable, given the high deficits being run by many funds, with some (Mr Dressler cites the Bavarian local health funds) on the verge of bankruptcy.

Indications are that under the draft legislation agreed by the Bonn coalition, a whole range of drugs which are freely available as over-the-counter products in pharmacies and in drugstores will be removed from the health fund sector altogether and no longer reimbursed.