More money for rural hospitals: 79 million euros in support!

More money for rural hospitals: 79 million euros in support!

A breath of fresh air is blowing through the healthcare landscape in Germany, especially in rural areas. The latest report from the medical journal announces that an impressive 129 essential hospitals in Germany will benefit from additional financial resources in 2026. This decision is the result of an agreement between the statutory and private health insurance companies and the German Hospital Association (DKG).

The support of 79 million euros is not only good news for the clinics, but also a necessary step to maintain medical care in rural regions. Compared to the previous year, the subsidy increases by 18.8 million euros. This is intended to help ensure comprehensive health care in rural areas, where patients often have to travel long distances.

Financial relief for clinics

There are clear guidelines for hospitals as to how high the funding will be. A surcharge of up to 1 million euros will be paid depending on the number of specialist departments. 91 houses will receive 500,000 euros, 18 houses will receive 750,000 euros and 20 houses will receive 1 million euros. The prerequisite for this is that these facilities have specialist departments for internal medicine, surgery and possibly obstetrics, which benefits the patients.

The regulations also stipulate that emergency care structures are no longer required, which reduces the eligibility requirements. Newly opened clinics in Bavaria, Hesse and Saxony-Anhalt show that the measures in these federal states are being taken specifically to close the gaps in care.

Challenges and criticism

Despite these positive developments, DKG CEO Gerald Gaß expresses concerns. He calls for the regulations to be further developed because the subsidies provided are often not enough to cover the actual costs. The restrictive conditions for the subsidies are also criticized because they do not always reflect the real circumstances in rural areas.

“Health care is an essential part of public services,” emphasizes the Federal Agency for Civic Education. There are fewer health care facilities in rural areas, making health care more difficult for the population. Long journeys for patients and a high burden of disease due to an aging population are challenges that need to be overcome.

Those responsible must develop innovative care concepts, such as cooperation between different health professions and the use of telemedical solutions, in order to make medical care in rural regions future-proof.

The introduction of security surcharges is a comprehensive step to support rural facilities and ensure comprehensive health care. Above all, the increased subsidies could help to compensate for structural deficits in many hospitals and thus significantly improve the quality of life for people outside the big cities.