BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - The federal government is counting on further progress with the federal states on the way to a planned hospital reform. Criticism voiced in this regard can be resolved, according to health ministry circles in Berlin on Wednesday ahead of renewed consultations between federal and state heads of department this Thursday. They are now approaching the home stretch to turn a working draft into a draft bill for the planned law. Bavaria, however, dampened hopes of a swift agreement. A revised federal draft is "purely cosmetic", said Health Minister Judith Gerlach (CSU) to the German Press Agency in Munich.

The reform plans of Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) envisage changing the remuneration system with flat rates for treatment cases in order to relieve clinics of the pressure to treat more and more cases. In future, they are to receive 60 percent of the remuneration for the provision of services alone. The basis for financing by the health insurance funds should be more precisely defined service groups of the clinics. They are to ensure uniform quality standards, for example in terms of equipment, staff and treatment experience.

The planned entry into force of the law on January 1, 2024 has been delayed. "We will hopefully pass the reform by Easter," Lauterbach told the Tageszeitung newspaper ("taz"/Thursday). However, the federal states will continue to allocate the benefit groups in 2025 and 2026, the reform will transfer money in 2027/2028 and will be fully implemented in 2029. In the summer, the federal and state governments reached a majority agreement on the basic principles for a reorganization of the hospitals. Joint preparatory work for a draft bill has now been underway for several weeks.

According to ministry circles in Berlin, the reform is in principle desired by all. It would take economic pressure out of the system and virtually guarantee the existence of hospitals for assigned service areas. Bavarian Minister Gerlach warned: "The hospital reform must not jeopardize inpatient care in the area." Significant corrections to the reform plans are still necessary. Interventions in the hospital planning competence of the federal states will continue to be opposed. Furthermore, the reform could only succeed if the federal government addressed the structural financial deficits of the hospitals.

Lauterbach warned the federal states to put the brakes on a law for an online atlas on the treatment quality of hospitals in Germany, which is linked to the reform. "With the transparency law, we are bringing considerable funds into the clinics in the short term," he told the newspaper "taz". In addition to energy subsidies, an additional six billion euros are needed for better payment of nursing care in clinics.

The law, which has already been passed by the Bundestag, will be finally passed by the Bundesrat this Friday. The health committee of the state chamber recommends that it be sent to the joint mediation committee with the Bundestag. Lauterbach warned that the Bundestag would then have to vote on the law again. "In view of the budget situation, I do not automatically expect approval."/sam/DP/ngu