BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Ahead of the first consultations of federal and state health ministers on hospital reform, the German Hospital Federation (DKG) has called for more funding than currently envisaged. The reform plans drawn up by a commission of experts are based on a "false basic premise," DKG board chairman Gerald Gaß told news portal t-online. "According to the commission's ideas, the reform should only redistribute current funds." The priority of medicine over economics announced by German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) remains an empty promise so far, Gaß said.

The economic pressure on hospitals is enormous. 60 percent of hospitals expected "in some cases deep red figures" for 2022. In 2023, hospital costs would also "rise twice as fast" as government-set prices. He warned that the hospital death "will probably reach a new peak this year."

Under the proposals of the government commission on hospital care, clinics would in future be remunerated according to three new criteria instead of just flat rates per case: Preventive services, levels of care and service groups. Among other things, fixed amounts are to be paid for the provision of staff, an emergency room or necessary medical technology.

Unlike today, hospitals will also be classified into three levels and subsidized accordingly. There will be clinics for basic care - for example, for basic surgical procedures and emergencies. Other hospitals will be responsible for "regular and specialized care. University hospitals are to be assigned to a third group, the clinics for "maximum care". The health ministers will discuss the planned reform on Thursday.

Patient advocates called for more consideration for the regions ahead of the deliberations. "Large hospitals in metropolitan areas are getting their way. Small hospitals in the countryside fall by the wayside. Far too often, the federal and state governments have given this game free rein. The bleeding of medical care in the region must be prevented by a hospital reform," said Eugen Brysch, chairman of the German Foundation for Patient Protection, to the "Rheinische Post" (Wednesday). The focus must finally be on the patients, he said, and the planned holding costs and investments must follow this goal. "Especially in rural areas, people need precisely fitting offers for stroke, heart attack, cancer therapy and geriatric medicine. This will undoubtedly cost money."

Bavaria's Health Minister Klaus Holetschek fears for the competencies of the states in the hospital reform. "It cannot be risked that centralistic planning destroys needs-based care structures from one day to the next," said the CSU politician. Necessary providers in the area would have to be preserved. The change of the case lump sum system is in principle correct. But the concept of the reform commission risks with detailed defaults massive mismanagement and endangers supply structures locally, said Holetschek. According to the German constitution, the states are responsible for hospital planning.

At the same time, the Bavarian minister demanded that the federal government support hospitals with an annual 15 billion euros in operating costs. Sustainable hospital care would not succeed through pure redistribution: "The hospital sector must be provided with additional money."/kli/DP/zb