drug
Lauterbach to pharmacists: No higher fees
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach rejects demands from the pharmacist associations for more fees. photo
© Bernd Wüstneck/dpa
The pharmacies are on strike on Wednesday – they are demanding higher fees. The Minister of Health has rejected this. The reason: need to save.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has rejected demands from the pharmacist associations for more fees. “The statutory health insurance companies are complaining about financial problems, the finance minister is cutting funds. Under these circumstances, there is currently no room for higher fees for pharmacists,” said the SPD politician to “Bild am Sonntag”.
The pharmacists’ associations are demanding an increase in the fees for prescription drugs from EUR 8.35 to EUR 12 per pack. Next Wednesday, pharmacists want to close nationwide – except for emergency care – in order to emphasize their demands.
The President of the Federal Union of German Pharmacy Associations, Gabriele Overwiening, warned: “The nationwide supply of medicines could be endangered if the number of pharmacies continues to fall unabated.” The number of pharmacies recently fell below the 18,000 mark. At the end of March there were still 17,939 pharmacies nationwide – that was the lowest level in more than 40 years. Main pharmacies and branches are recorded, of which pharmacists can operate up to three.