(de-news.net) – Thorsten Frei, the Head of the Chancellery, has indicated that the public should begin preparing for an impending reduction in health-care benefits, arguing that meaningful cost containment will, by necessity, involve the withdrawal of certain services. He emphasized that comparable cost-reduction strategies in other countries have demonstrated long-term feasibility and suggested that Germany could adopt similar approaches without precipitating a decline in population-level health indicators. While acknowledging that such reforms were likely to encounter political and societal resistance, he contended that they would nonetheless be required to safeguard the sustainability of the health-care system and to advance what he described as the broader public interest. Frei underscored what he viewed as a structural contradiction within the system: Germany continues to operate the most expensive health-care model worldwide but does not produce correspondingly high health outcomes. He further remarked that, in statistical comparisons, individuals in France consult medical professionals less frequently—a behavioral pattern he considered difficult to justify on purely clinical grounds, raising questions about utilization habits and systemic inefficiencies in Germany.
Frei also addressed what he framed as a foundational structural problem in patient pathways. The prevailing practice, in which patients independently select specialists based on their own inherently lay assessments, was, in his view, both inefficient and medically suboptimal. He argued that such decisions should be routed through a primary care physician—most often a general practitioner—who would be better positioned to coordinate care, reduce redundant consultations, and ensure that medical resources are allocated appropriately. In addition, he warned that financing long-term care would become an increasingly formidable challenge in the coming years. Current data show that a large majority of individuals requiring assistance—approximately the overwhelming share—are cared for at home. Frei suggested that demographic shifts, workforce shortages, and financial strains make it improbable that this model can be maintained indefinitely. As a result, he anticipated a significant increase in the proportion of people who will require placement in institutional care facilities.
Within the broader policy debate over strategies to reduce health-care expenditures, Frei reiterated his position that scaling back selected benefits would not adversely affect general health outcomes, provided reforms were implemented strategically and accompanied by structural improvements. His remarks aligned with the Bundestag’s recent approval of a savings package intended to stabilize statutory insurance contributions, even as several insurers prepare to raise supplemental premiums to counteract persistent cost pressures. Meanwhile, a commission convened by Health Minister Warken is expected to present a set of reform proposals in the spring. Among the measures under consideration is an increase in copayments for prescription medications, reflecting a wider policy discussion about cost-sharing mechanisms and their potential to curb unnecessary consumption while maintaining equitable access to essential treatments.
