Coalition partners urged for swift execution of alliance accord
In a recent call for action, Manne Lucha, the Minister of Health in Baden-Württemberg, has emphasised the urgency for the federal government to implement the agreed-upon adjustments to the Hospital Reform Adaptation Act (KHAG).
The central demand from the beginning has been to allow exceptions and cooperation for comprehensive coverage, without compromising quality standards. Lucha believes that this is essential for reliable hospital planning in Baden-Württemberg.
The two-kilometer rule for hospital locations, as currently proposed, threatens the functioning of hospital structures, according to Lucha. Good accessibility in critical emergency cases and obstetrics is particularly crucial, he adds.
The draft of the KHAG was intended to make concessions to the states, including temporary exceptions from the requirements of the performance groups and enabling cooperation between hospitals. This, Lucha believes, would lead to the bundling of stationary services and close coordination with carriers, a strategy that has proven successful in Baden-Württemberg.
Lucha has been focusing on quality through specialization in Baden-Württemberg for years. He also sees a need for improvement in the KHAG, specifically in breaking down the rigid boundaries between outpatient and inpatient care.
Delays in implementing the changes could endanger supply security and unsettle hospital operators, staff, and patients, Lucha warns. He positively evaluates the federal government's willingness to participate in financing the Transformation Fund, but stresses that swift action is needed.
The coalition government in Berlin that has the coalition agreement for the KHAG consists of the SPD, Greens (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), and The Left (Die Linke). However, the draft of the KHAG was recently removed from the federal cabinet's agenda.
Primary care centres in Baden-Württemberg need a clear legal basis, according to Lucha. He also emphasises the need for regulations that ensure good accessibility in critical emergency cases or in obstetrics in these centres.
Lucha continues to support the hospital reform in principle. He urges the federal government to intervene in the parliamentary procedure regarding the two-kilometer rule and to implement the agreed changes as soon as possible, ensuring responsible and regionally tailored hospital planning, securing supply in a large area.
