Globuli and other remedies from the fields of homeopathy and anthroposophy have long been controversial due to a lack of evidence of effectiveness. In the future, health insurance companies will no longer be able to reimburse them as part of statutory benefits, as the news magazine “Der Spiegel” reports, citing a letter from Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD).
“Services that have no medically proven benefit may not be financed from contributions,” says the recommendation paper. “For this reason, we will delete the option for health insurance companies to provide for homeopathic and anthroposophical services in their statutes and thus avoid unnecessary expenses for health insurance companies.” However, it should still be possible to take out additional insurance.
Resistance is to be expected
Apparently the proposal is one of several savings proposals that are intended to reduce the billion-dollar deficit in statutory health insurance. However, it is more of a symbolic initiative: the savings potential is only a few million euros, as most homeopathic medicines are paid for by patients themselves as non-prescription medicines. Only some health insurance companies and insured persons bill the costs for this.
Lauterbach – like his predecessor Jens Spahn (CDU) – had already thought about similar steps in recent years, but had not yet made any corresponding proposals for changes to the law. Experience has shown that there is a lot of resistance from supporters of the funds, and it is also unclear whether there is a majority for this in the Bundestag.
Other approaches with which Lauterbach, according to “Der Spiegel”, wants to reduce expenses without cutting services relate to disease prevention and the planned hospital reform, which is intended to eliminate duplicate structures. The law to accelerate the digitalization of the healthcare system should also contribute to “improved and more cost-efficient healthcare in Germany”. According to the paper, Spahn also wants to save on the health insurance companies' administrative costs.
However, Lauterbach has to face a lot of criticism for his reform proposals, and the clinic reform is stalling. And his plans to set up a Federal Institute for Prevention and Education in Medicine, which would incorporate the Federal Center for Health Education and parts of the Robert Koch Institute, were heavily criticized by experts.
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