Health resorts hope for a comeback of outpatient preventive cures

Saxony's health resorts and spas are hoping for a renaissance in outpatient preventative cures. Since 2021, these have once again been a mandatory service provided by statutory health insurance companies, but are only used to a limited extent, explained Ricarda Lorenz, President of the Saxon Spa Association. At the State Spa Day on Thursday and Friday in Warmbad (Erzgebirgskreis), the aim is now to discuss how these services can be given a boost.

Outpatient preventive spa treatments usually last three weeks. The health insurance company covers the costs of the treatments, but patients have to pay for their own accommodation. The law only provides for an allowance of up to 16 euros per day. However, this only covers a fraction of the costs for a room in a boarding house, for example. Lorenz also suspects that too little is known about the possibility of outpatient preventive cures. Insured persons could apply to their GP or specialist for an outpatient cure every three years if they meet the requirements.

Visitor numbers still below pre-coronavirus levels

All in all, the number of visitors to health spas has recovered significantly following the massive slump during the coronavirus pandemic and amounted to just under 1.27 million visitors last year. Before the pandemic, the figure was 1.4 million. According to the association, the health resorts accounted for just under 641,000 guest arrivals with almost 3.2 million overnight stays last year. That is just under 16 percent of all overnight stays in Saxony. Spa guests play a particularly important role for tourism outside of the major cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz.

However, according to Lorenz, the health resorts are shouldering particular financial challenges. These include investments in historic buildings, the maintenance of spa parks, cultural programs and the preservation of natural remedies. The income from the spa tax could not fully cover this. She therefore reiterated her demand to the state for a special compensation of ten million euros per year. Otherwise, the 14 Saxon health resorts and spas fear that they will be at a disadvantage in the future compared to other federal states such as Thuringia.