Overview

• BDA chief Steffen Kampeter reiterated his push for a per‑visit contact fee to curb "Ärzte‑Hopping" and argued for wider cost controls across the health system.
• The Hausärzteverband, patient advocates and ver.di rejected the idea as unsozial and undurchdacht, warning it would burden chronically ill and low‑income patients and risk delayed care.
• Critics cite Germany’s 2004–2012 Praxisgebühr as evidence of limited steering effects and heavy administrative costs in practices.
• Health economist Wolfgang Greiner proposed doubling medication co‑payments to 10 euros per drug, capped at 20 euros, which could roughly double current co‑pay revenues and exclude some low‑priced medicines from reimbursement.
• With the Bundesrechnungshof projecting rising Zusatzbeiträge from persistent deficits, Greens’ health expert Janosch Dahmen urged structural reforms, while Health Minister Nina Warken plans to seek federal subsidies and CSU’s Klaus Holetschek promoted a primary‑care gatekeeper model.