Rescue trips in Brandenburg remain free of charge – agreement reached!

Rescue trips in Brandenburg remain free of charge – agreement reached!

A big step for emergency care in Brandenburg: The districts and health insurance companies have finally reached an agreement on rescue trips. How stern.de reported, the rescue trips will remain free of charge in the future. This agreement was long overdue because the financing caused tension in eight districts such as Barnim and Märkisch-Oderland because there had been no agreement with the health insurance companies in the last few months. From January 1, 2025, a new regulation came into effect whereby health insurance companies only reimbursed fixed flat rates for rescue missions, which led to great dissatisfaction.

What is particularly explosive is the fact that several successive fee notices in Märkisch-Oderland, which were sent out in March, could not reflect the full cost coverage by the health insurance companies. An example from the region impressively shows the problem: While an ambulance call in Teltow-Fläming costs 1,449 euros, the health insurance companies only reimburse 794 euros. This inevitably leads to citizens having to pay for costs that are not covered, which puts trust in the emergency services to the test.

Duty to peace and new calculation

In the context of the agreement, a peace obligation was also brought into being. This obliges all parties not to send any new fee notices for at least eight weeks. Health Minister Britta Müller announced this regulation and emphasized the importance that the emergency number 112 can still be accessed without financial worries. This is an important signal to the population that medical help is available urgently, without worries about costs having to weigh in the background. These points were discussed at the top meeting at the Ministry of Health in Potsdam. Participants included representatives of the affected districts and health insurance companies, as well as Prime Minister Dr. Dietmar Woidke.

But while the agreement seems promising at first glance, the unclear handling of empty ambulance runs remains a sensitive issue. The Berlin-Brandenburg Higher Administrative Court's decision on a lawsuit brought by the health insurance companies against the Teltow-Fläming district's fee regulations is still pending. Whether these interpretations will influence the progress of ongoing talks remains to be seen.

A look ahead

Some districts have already decided on new, cost-covering fee regulations for 2025, while in other places the loss of income due to the fixed amounts charged by health insurance companies is a major problem. The existing disputes over cost calculations mean that a quick solution is required. Johannes Wagner from the district council is therefore calling for the Ministry of Health to intervene quickly, while CDU politician Michael Schierack and AfD MP Birgit Bessin are pushing for the cost problem to be clarified.

Overall, the situation remains tense, because the discussion about the future of the emergency service in Brandenburg is not only being conducted at a political level, but above all at a civil level. Concern is growing among affected communities that citizens' burdens are being unnecessarily increased. Let us hope that the new agreements will soon show fruitful results. A comprehensive and fair solution is long overdue so that patients in Brandenburg can receive the best possible care.