The Corona situation is currently more relaxed. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach now wants to use this time for new laws on medical care.
Munich – The corona virus situation in Germany can currently be described as more relaxed. The focus is particularly on the seven-day incidence. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has been recording a downward trend here since the end of March. On March 23, the incidence in Germany peaked at 1,946.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, since then it has been falling sharply. On Thursday (5th of May) the RKI reported an incidence of 566.8. The day before, this value was 591.8.
But experts warn: The numbers should be treated with caution. In addition, a more delicate situation is expected again in autumn. This position is primarily represented by Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD). It seems he doesn’t want to face a possible new wave without preparation. He wants to use the currently relaxed situation much more to create a concept in preparation for autumn. The work for this is apparently already underway, as reported by the German Press Agency.
Further planned regulations range from digital applications such as electronic patient files and e-prescriptions to the further financing of statutory health insurance companies and the controlled release of cannabis.
Corona in Germany: Lauterbach wants to present a new autumn concept for further measures
With regard to the project, Lauterbach spoke in Berlin of an “intermediate spurt”. The planned laws should therefore be drafted over the summer and finally pushed through to the fall. Lauterbach wants to present a “pandemic control concept” for the fall in May. Then you will have to expect a significant increase in the number of cases, he warned.
Specifically, it should be about the further strategy for more vaccinations and vaccine purchases as well as a follow-up regulation for corona requirements when the current rules of the Infection Protection Act end on September 23rd. The time should also be used to improve the digital equipment of the health authorities. 800 million euros are available as funding for this.
Lauterbach plans: New principle for e-patient files – review of the Ukraine war for GKV situation
With electronic patient files, which started in 2021 as a voluntary offer for the 73 million people with statutory health insurance, a breakthrough in digitization is also to take place. Demand is still limited. The traffic light coalition is striving for the principle of “opt out” to be used – i.e. that you have to actively object and not actively consent. This is the only way that a broad and medically profitable use is possible, the dpa quoted the minister as saying. It will be checked whether doctors who will continue to treat you can access patient data from clinic treatments.
With regard to the financial situation of the statutory health insurance companies (GKV), the drastic effects of the Ukraine war that are to be expected on income and expenditure are to be examined first. Lauterbach made it clear that he would not allow himself to be pushed into a hasty law. A proposal should be presented by the end of May at the latest. The background is an expected deficit in the billions of euros in the cash registers in the coming year. Lauterbach had already made it clear that, in addition to other measures, contribution increases are also being considered as countermeasures.
As a further legislative initiative, he announced that “health kiosks” would become standard care in regional hotspots. These created easier access to the medical system.
Cannabis release: Lauterbach wants to start a new phase – talks between Blienert and experts
The traffic light federal government made up of the SPD, Greens and FDP is also striving for the legalization of cannabis. A “controlled levy” was already promised in the coalition agreement. Lauterbach wants to take further steps in this regard in the summer. The first step should consist of technical discussions between the Federal Drug Commissioner Burkhard Blienert and national and international experts. In the second half of the year, a corresponding draft law is planned, explained Lauterbach.
Originally, he too had taken a negative position, explained the Minister of Health. But he has now revised it. The Union in particular has criticized Ampel’s plans to legalize cannabis. In this context, the appointment of Burkhard Blienert as federal drug commissioner was also heavily targeted. (bb with material from dpa)
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