In the battle over healthcare reform, Saxony’s doctors are calling for a fundamental fresh start. According to the State Medical Association, reform is urgently needed and long overdue. However, the proposals presented so far would cut costs in a way that disproportionately harms medical care.
In the doctors’ view, changes in inpatient care should only be implemented once the necessary conditions have been established in outpatient care. They are also calling for a significant reduction in bureaucracy and a clear legal framework for the use of artificial intelligence in medicine.
At the association’s assembly, Medical Association President Erik Bodendieck criticized the fact that services not covered by insurance continue to receive insufficient funding from the federal government. The planned reduction in federal subsidies would further exacerbate the situation for statutory health insurance. He also took a critical view of plans to expand the scope of practice for pharmacists. Due to cost-cutting measures in outpatient care, there could be fewer appointments and services for patients in the future, the medical community warns.
