German citizens could soon receive a bonus payment of up to 100 euros. The money would come from statutory health insurance doctors who want to use it to reward patients who do not visit specialists unnecessarily.
According to the statutory health insurance physicians, anyone who chooses a family doctor as the first point of contact when they have health problems and has them referred to specialists should receive an annual bonus.
“If patients voluntarily allow themselves to be controlled by their practice as part of a statutory health insurance plan, they should be rewarded for it,” said the chairman of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), Andreas Gassen, to “Bild”. “Depending on effectiveness and patient behavior, this reward could perhaps be up to 100 euros per year,” Gassen suggested. It would then be attractive for insured persons to take part in voluntary control.
In Gassen’s opinion, this could reduce the number of unnecessary doctor’s visits and save costs. “It is not uncommon for a patient to go to several general practitioners and specialists who carry out similar examinations. “That costs the practices time and the health insurance companies money,” said the KBV chairman.
“If, for example, the family doctor, gynecologist or, in the case of chronic illnesses, the treating specialist practice acts as a contact point for the patient and coordinates the referral to medical services, this control could prevent patients from arranging unnecessary appointments or unsuitable treatments themselves.”
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