(Gemini Audio)
(de-news.net) – Amid persistent debates surrounding the optimization of statutory health insurance in Germany, Andreas Gassen, Chairman of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), has advocated for a revision of the existing sick leave certification framework. According to media reports, Gassen proposed that employees should only be required to submit a medical certificate from the fourth day of illness onward. He argued that the current legal provision, which allows employers to demand such documentation within the first three days of absence, results in a substantial number of avoidable visits to medical practices.
Gassen framed his proposal as a measure aimed at enhancing individual responsibility and administrative efficiency. He emphasized the importance of a self-managed grace period for employees, suggesting that such an approach would foster a more autonomous and pragmatic handling of short-term illness. Citing statistical data, he noted that approximately 116 million sick notes are issued annually in Germany, with nearly 35 percent of these covering absences of three days or fewer. In his view, exempting these short-duration cases from mandatory certification could significantly reduce the workload for physicians and alleviate pressure on healthcare infrastructure.
In addition to adult sick leave, Gassen addressed the regulatory framework governing pediatric care. He pointed out that, under current rules, a medical certificate is required from the first day of a child’s illness. He reportedly called for a reassessment of this policy, particularly during periods of elevated infection rates. Gassen maintained that waiving certification requirements for brief illnesses among children could ease the burden on pediatric practices and offer relief to parents, especially in times of heightened public health strain.
In a parallel development, Jens Baas, Chief Executive Officer of Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), voiced concern over the uneven geographical distribution of physicians across Germany. According to media accounts, Baas criticized the fact that individuals insured under the statutory system — who collectively shoulder the majority of the nation’s healthcare expenditures — often face excessive delays in securing medical appointments. He reportedly noted that even high-income statutory insurees sometimes pay more than their privately insured counterparts, yet still encounter barriers to timely access.
Baas further underscored what he described as a systemic imbalance in the allocation of medical resources. He observed that physicians frequently choose to establish practices in affluent areas with a high density of privately insured patients, thereby exacerbating regional disparities in care availability. As illustrative examples, he cited the unusually high concentration of orthopedists around Lake Starnberg and the markedly greater number of general practitioners in Heidelberg’s urban center compared to its surrounding districts. Baas attributed these patterns to economic incentives and called for structural reforms that would encourage physicians to settle in regions with demonstrable medical need. He emphasized that the healthcare system must be restructured in a way that aligns physician placement with patient demand, rather than financial optimization.
