Medical profession in dialogue: GOÄ reform on the home stretch!

Medical profession in dialogue: GOÄ reform on the home stretch!

In Berlin, the board of the German Medical Association recently addressed an important issue that could affect healthcare in Germany: the urgently needed amendment to the fee schedule for doctors (GOÄ). These legal regulations regulate how doctors can charge fees for their services to private patients. According to the medical representatives, the current GOÄ is very outdated and no longer corresponds to today's medical standards and cost developments in the health sector.

The revision has now become essential because the current regulations make transparent and legally secure billing of private medical services significantly more difficult. The professional support and attention that doctors offer their patients in various areas was no longer adequately compensated under the existing GOÄ. This not only led to dissatisfaction among the medical profession, but could ultimately also have a negative impact on the quality of care for patients.

Political framework and negotiations

At the beginning of 2023, the German Medical Association handed over the revised GOÄ, which was developed together with medical associations and specialist societies, to the Federal Minister of Health. Since then, there have been continuous calls for the new order to be implemented. In political reality, however, it is clear that an agreement on the GOÄ amendment does not only depend on the medical profession, but also on the consent of the PKV association, which represents private health insurance companies.

The board has indicated that intensive discussions have recently led to clarifying the extent to which the PKV association is prepared to accept the suggestions drawn up by doctors. These discussions are of great importance for the authors of the new GOÄ in order to find a consensus and overcome the past of inadequate remuneration. The status of these negotiations has been carefully examined by medical professional associations and specialist societies since mid-September 2024.

A key aspect raised in these discussions is the proposed fees for private medical services. Many associations criticize the fact that the fees presented by doctors sometimes have to be significantly reduced, which could be problematic given the responsibility borne by doctors and private insurance companies. The aim of the amendment must ensure fair remuneration that takes into account the efforts of doctors and is affordable for those with private insurance.

The clearing process and the way forward

In order to clarify the open questions and concerns from previous discussions, the German Medical Association has launched a clearing procedure. This serves to invite all participating medical associations and specialist societies to joint discussions. One goal is to find a common attitude among doctors by the German Medical Day in Leipzig in May 2025 and to deal with the upcoming challenges in a structured manner.

The board of the German Medical Association thanked the associations and specialist societies for their commitment and emphasized how important it is to clarify the upcoming questions together. Doctors have a central role to play and must carefully weigh both the pros and cons in order to reach a consensus.

These developments are extremely relevant for the future of healthcare in Germany and could have a decisive impact on the doctor-patient relationship and the remuneration systems in the healthcare profession. For further details on the challenges and status of the GOÄ amendment, see the current reporting on www.presseportal.de.