“Premium stability must not be pitted against the stability of care. Prevention, screening, and early detection help identify diseases in a timely manner, apply targeted treatments, and avoid follow-up costs,” says VDGH Executive Director Dr. Martin Walger.
The budget cuts now being proposed affect all early detection programs under the statutory health insurance system (GKV), which have so far been offered reliably and nationwide. These include colorectal cancer screening, as well as numerous specific measures for women’s health, such as cervical cancer screening and mammography screening. Services during pregnancy and after childbirth, such as serological tests or screening for gestational diabetes, are also affected. The same applies to the well-established newborn screening and early detection examinations for children. “The GKV Savings Act subjects medically indicated and evidence-based standard care—as defined by G-BA guidelines—to fiscally motivated volume control,” criticizes Walger.
In its recommendations on the GKV Contribution Stabilization Act, the Federal Council’s Health Committee pointed out that disease prevention, rather than expensive treatments, is crucial for stabilizing the financial situation of the GKV and that limiting preventiveand preventive care services can entail high follow-up costs. In light of this, the VDGH strongly urges the legislature to exclude preventive and early-detection measures from the planned budget.
