DThe planned deletion of homeopathic treatments as a possible service from statutory health insurance companies has met with strong criticism. German homeopathy doctors are resisting the plan of Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD). The Bavarian state government also signaled its rejection of the plans.
“A deletion of the voluntary health insurance benefit for homeopathy would limit the range of therapies available in medical care,” said the chairwoman of the German Central Association of Homeopathic Doctors, Michaela Geiger, to the German Press Agency in Berlin. “A therapeutic monoculture would emerge in the practices – the patients would suffer,” said the Neckarsulm family doctor. “We see in practice every day that the variety of therapies makes medical sense.”
“Many people come specifically because of homeopathy”
She and her colleagues use homeopathy to accompany conventional medicine, said Geiger. “Many patients come to our doctor’s offices specifically because of homeopathy, especially with chronic illnesses.” The statutory service is important because this is the only way patients can receive medical homeopathy on a chip card. “Additional insurance costs money, not all patients can afford it – but homeopathy is relevant to care.”
Lauterbach had announced that he wanted to cancel the financing of globules and other homeopathic treatments by statutory health insurance companies. Today, health insurance companies can offer such funds as statutory benefits. These are offers that a health insurance fund can grant in addition to the prescribed services. Lauterbach said on Thursday: “Homeopathy is a service that does not provide any medical benefit based on the scientific facts.” The plan was criticized by the Greens and the CDU. The FDP in the Bundestag and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians supported the initiative.
The pharmacists' association predicted an increase in costs. “The costs for homeopathic treatments as a health insurance benefit are homeopathic in the truest sense. However, an abolition could lead to alternative therapies being implemented by doctors with other reimbursable medicines that are much more expensive,” said Thomas Preis, head of the North Rhine Pharmacists’ Association, to the “Rheinische Post” (Friday). He fears that people with less money will be disadvantaged. “Because if such treatments are no longer paid for by health insurance companies, citizens with limited wallets will no longer be able to afford it on their own, but those in a better financial position will be able to.”
“Desire for alternative treatment approaches”
Bavaria's Health Minister Judith Gerlach (CSU) told the “Frankenpost” (Hof): “The Lauterbach announcement is a political smokescreen.” Obviously, this discussion is intended to distract from the fact that the federal government is not making progress with the necessary financing reform of statutory health insurance companies. Evidence-based modern medicine must be the benchmark for care. However, there is also a desire among the population for holistic alternative treatment approaches.
It is important to know the limits of these methods – “and that should be left to the decision of the health insurance companies and the insured as before,” said Gerlach.
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