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More evidence, expanded reporting requirements and a bonus of attention: The Bundestag plans today to adopt a second package of measures to combat the pandemic. But that is not enough for critics.
By Sandra Stalinski, tagesschau.de
“Second law to protect the population in an epidemic situation of national scope” is the complicated title of the new law. It is briefly mentioned in the media as the “new infection protection law”, “pandemic law” or “epidemic protection law”. It provides changes to various existing laws and regulations that are intended to help better combat the pandemic.
Crown tests are now also preventive
Critics describe the coverage of future costs of preventive crown tests as “overdue”: the Federal Ministry of Health may compel legal health insurance (GKV) to pay for tests for the coronavirus as a matter of principle, for example, even if someone shows no symptoms. Furthermore, the virus will be tested more intensively in the environment of particularly vulnerable people, for example in nursing homes or hospitals.
The details, for example, when such tests will be carried out in series, will be set out in a regulation that the Ministry is already working on. It should be available as soon as possible when the law takes effect.
SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach welcomes this move as “correct and urgently needed.” He is critical of the fact that he is so late, because “he actually needs these tests now,” Lauterbach says in an interview. tagesschau.de.
Caregiver bonus
Health insurance companies pay nursing care employees a premium of up to 1,000 euros due to crown charges. The full bonus is paid to employees who work primarily in direct care and support. Anyone who spends at least a quarter of their working time on this will receive 676 euros. Health insurance companies receive a subsidy from the federal government.
Spahn estimates the total cost of the bonus of up to € 1,000 million to € 1,000 million. Federal states and nursing employers can increase the crown premium tax-free by up to 500 euros. Spahn noted that some federal states have already announced their participation. Employers must also do their part. Nonprofit organizations resist this.
Critics, on the other hand, want a permanent increase in nursing wages. The Greens Group, for example, calls for “the proposed premiums to be extended to other professional groups in health centers that are most at risk.” In addition, the “saved public health service absolutely needs long-term strengthening,” writes Britta Haßelmann, First Parliamentary Administrative Director, on demand.
Extended notification requirement
In the future, laboratories should also report negative test results to health authorities. Additionally, health authorities must now know if someone is considered cured.
Information about where someone is likely to become infected will also become part of the reporting system in the future. The data is transmitted anonymously to the Robert Koch Institute. The government wants to get a better overview of the development of the pandemic.
Money for the health departments.
The government wants an “update” for the 375 health departments and therefore supports them with 50 million euros. The money is earmarked for investments, particularly in digitizing the authorities. In the recent past, it has been repeatedly criticized that the authorities still send some of their infected numbers by fax. In addition, a point of contact for the public health service is permanently established at the Robert Koch Institute.
But if you calculate that for individual districts, the total is 80,000 to 100,000 euros per district with 100,000 inhabitants, says Lauterbach. In reality, this is very little for the infrastructure of the health authorities. On the other hand, that is also the task of the federal states.
More Flu Vaccine Supplies
The government wants to see more people vaccinated against the flu so that the health system is not affected by a new wave of flu. Until now, health insurance companies have only covered the costs of a limited number of flu vaccine supplies. In the future, doctors should be able to order more flu shots without fear of turning to health insurance companies.
Extension of deadline for employees
If someone is entitled to reimbursement of their loss of earnings due to a quarantine order, they can request it in the future instead of three months. This relieves those affected and the administration.
Relief for private policyholders
People with private insurance who need help temporarily and switch to the basic rate can go back to their original rate without a new health check.
Immunity passport for now
In the cabinet-approved bill in late April, it was still planned to issue an immunity passport for those who had Corona disease behind them. However, the prerequisite for this should be that immunity after infection has also been scientifically proven, which has not yet been the case.
Critics complained that such a document could create false security. Another fear was that people could trigger infections to gain immunity, which could be dangerous to themselves and their surroundings. Therefore, the bill was removed from the current bill.
The Health Minister Jens Spahn has given the idea of such a certificate of immunity to the German Ethics Council for advice. Until his statement, there should be no legal regulations on this issue, Spahn said. That was agreed upon in the coalition.
What do the other parties say?
The FDP group has already announced that it will not pass the bill due to constitutional and data protection concerns. “Parliament’s rights to participate and control are falling by the wayside,” FDP parliamentary group health spokeswoman Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus said in an interview. tagesschau.de.
The details of the regulations, to which this law empowers the Minister of Health, have not yet been determined. Spahn, for example, can regulate the details of the cost assumption for testing without the Federal Council having to agree again. “It would be like a blank check in which we would not do justice to our responsibility under state law,” says Aschenberg-Dugnus.
The Greens and the Left Party similarly criticize this: “The Federal Government bill contains numerous authorizations loosely formulated for the Federal Minister of Health, which go far beyond combating the crown,” said the leader of the Party of Left, Katja Kipping. tagesschau.de. These spam authorization proposals must be implemented. “
In accordance with the will of the Federal Government, the financing of important measures such as the Corona Test and bonuses for nursing personnel are entirely the responsibility of the health insurance companies. “If there is no improvement, this will result in a dramatic increase in additional contributions,” said Kipping.
AfD also rejects the law, criticizes its basic assumption and advocates, in view of the number of infections and the stability of the health system, to completely get out of the “blockade”. Instead, “the economy and society are first hurt by unnecessary protective measures and then act as emergency responders with tax funds, hasty and hasty easing or reorganization of examination or compensation regulations,” writes parliamentary group AfD. on request.
When do the changes take effect?
After the Bundestag decision, the Federal Council will likely also pass the law on Friday. The Federal Ministry of Health says it should not be long before the changes take effect. No specific time frame was provided.
