The Federal Minister of Health called for additional billions to fight the pandemic.
(Photo: IMAGO/Political Moments)
Berlin The billions spent by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) to combat the pandemic are causing resentment among the householders of the traffic light groups. According to a decision by the budget committee, Lauterbach’s house should, among other things, phase out the free rapid corona tests at the end of June.
Criticism comes from the Greens member of the Bundestag, Paula Piechotta, among others: “The test stations are an important component of fighting the pandemic, but unfortunately they have also repeatedly attracted attention due to non-transparent cost structures and accounting errors.” According to the Federal Office for Social Security, the federal and state governments have so far had a total of 12 .2 billion euros spent on tests. Lauterbach only received an additional 7.7 billion euros at the beginning of March, four billion euros of which was used to finance the rapid corona tests.
It is the first time that householders have become so involved in the fight against the pandemic. Lauterbach’s predecessor Jens Spahn (CDU) could always count on the support of financial politicians for his billions in spending. In view of the falling number of cases and the Ukraine war, the money is now needed elsewhere.
The householders also want to reduce costs when purchasing vaccines. The Federal Ministry of Health should use a forecasting tool to better determine the actual vaccine requirement for further vaccine procurement, it is said.
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“In the third year of the pandemic we have to learn from the mistakes,” said Piechotta. “This also means more transparency and cost control.” The forecast tool should help to better estimate the actual need for corona vaccine and thus avoid overcapacities. “In this way we not only create financial leeway, but also meet our responsibility not to destroy vaccines that are needed elsewhere.”
Pressure on cannabis legalization
By the end of June, three million vaccine doses are at risk of being destroyed. The long-term goal is for the statutory health insurance companies to cover the costs of the corona vaccination – as they do for other vaccinations. The topic is sensitive in view of the ailing cash register finances. In the coming year, there is a risk of a record minus of more than 17 billion euros.
>> Read here: Health insurance companies expect a gap of 17 billion euros for 2023 – insured persons are threatened with higher contributions
In addition, the householders are putting pressure on the health minister to legalize cannabis. According to the decision, an amount of one million euros is blocked for Lauterbach’s public relations work until the cannabis control law is presented. “If this does not happen, the Federal Ministry of Health will lose money,” said Piechotta. Lauterbach announced last week that it would present the law in the second half of the year.
More: More money for corona tests and vaccinations: Lauterbach will receive an additional 7.7 billion euros