Overview
- Health Minister Nina Warken outlined a draft plan to require a documented second opinion before planned knee surgery, with the measure presented as a cost-saving step.
- Under the proposal, the federal joint committee G-BA would name up to two high-volume procedures each year that need a mandatory second opinion before insurers pay for the operation.
- The finance commission advising the ministry projects savings of about €360 million in the first year if knee operations start the rollout, assuming roughly one in five such procedures would be avoided.
- Germany already offers a paid second-opinion right for selected operations, and doctors must inform patients of this option at least ten days before a scheduled procedure.
- Approved second-opinion doctors must be independent of the first provider, and patients can find them via the 116117.de search; hospital leaders warn of longer waits and extra burden, while a patient advocate supports a phased rollout with thorough tracking.