If they give patients an appointment quickly, specialists can receive additional fees of up to 200 percent in the future. In addition, the new regulation "strengthens the role of general practitioners and their important coordination task," said Baehrens. They, too, "receive an additional fee if appointments are made quickly. In addition, they will be better rewarded for successfully referring patients to a specialist in the future.

The surcharges for quick appointments replace the controversial new patient regulation, which Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) wants to delete as part of the GKV Financing Act. The previous regulation for new patients was very expensive for the contributors, said Baehrens. However, their positive effect could not be proven. "With the surcharges that have now been decided, we will really speed up the process of making appointments for patients and thus improve care."

The new law is intended to cover the 17 billion deficit of the GKV. It provides for an increase in the average additional contribution by 0.3 percentage points and a federal subsidy to the health fund increased by two billion next year. Furthermore, the Federation of Statutory Health Insurance (GKV) wants to grant an interest-free loan of one billion euros.

The reserves of the statutory health insurance funds and the health fund are to be further reduced as a contribution to the financing. There are also savings requirements for doctors, pharmacists and the pharmaceutical industry.