Cost explosion in the emergency services: emergency aids more expensive than ever!

Cost explosion in the emergency services: emergency aids more expensive than ever!

In the district of Mecklenburg Seenplatte, the costs for the emergency services have increased significantly. This reports [ndr.de] (https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/haff-mueritz/mecklenburgische-seenplatte-steigende-fuer-Rettungsdienst ,Mvregioneubion-358.html). The price for the use of a rescue transport car is now a whopping 1,250 euros - before that only 850 euros had to be paid. The cost of emergency cars have almost doubled. This increase goes back to rising expenses in the areas of personnel, material and energy. In view of these developments, health insurance companies will have to pay more to the circle in the future, which has been defined in new collective bargaining.

District Administrator Kärger (CDU) said that despite these increases, the funding of the emergency services was secured. In order to prevent abuse of the emergency number, the punishments were also significantly increased. In emergencies, it is always recommended to choose number 112 to get quick help.

burden for health insurance companies

A critical view of the situation shows that these price increases are not isolated. As reports doctor-wirtschaft.de, the expenses of the health insurance companies for emergency services are increasingly burdening the insured community. Every year, these now pay around 3.5 billion euros from contributions and federal funds, with expenses in the past 25 years of 700 million euros have increased significantly. Many federal states are increasingly withdrawing from the financing, which also causes problems with the assumption of costs.

A central problem is the uncertainty as to which medically necessary trips the health insurance companies have to take over. This leads to great differences in the billing between the countries and creates false incentives - while the countries and municipalities decide on the infrastructure, the health insurance companies bear the costs for the emergency services.

legal framework conditions

The funding of the emergency services is regulated in the Rescue Service Act (RDG). This law aims to ensure needs -based and efficient care of the population. In regular negotiations with the health insurance companies, the necessary costs for rescue guards, vehicles and personnel are determined and this process also determines the user fees. In addition to the payments of the health insurance companies, the emergency services also receive public funding, for example from the state of Baden-Württemberg for special projects such as the baby emergency doctor car and the project "Firstaed-Team of Lebensversetters" drk-rdhu.de.

Overall, the current situation reflects the challenges that rescue services face. It remains to be seen how the financial situation will develop in the long term and whether new measures will be taken in order to be able to guarantee care in the future.