Back to Direct Payment: German Dentists Lobby to Leave the National Sickness Fund Scheme

Oral health care in Germany is delivered by private dentists working predominantly in solo practice. Services are financed indirectly by sickness funds for 89 percent of the population. With caries rates declining, dentists' numbers increasing, and federal policies changing the remuneration reg...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of public health policy 1992, Vol.13 (4), p.491-500
Main Author: Nippert, R. Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Dental insurance
Dental service, Cost of
Dentistry
Dentists
Dentists - supply & distribution
Employee compensation
Federal Republic of Germany
Fees
Germany
Health Care
Health Care Costs - statistics & numerical data
Health Care Costs - trends
Health care delivery
Health Expenditures - statistics & numerical data
Health Expenditures - trends
Health Insurance
Health policy
Health Services Research
Humans
Income - statistics & numerical data
Income - trends
Insurance, Dental - economics
Insurance, Dental - statistics & numerical data
Insurance, Dental - utilization
National Health Programs - economics
Preventive dentistry
Private practice
Prosthetics
Public health dentistry
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Summary:Oral health care in Germany is delivered by private dentists working predominantly in solo practice. Services are financed indirectly by sickness funds for 89 percent of the population. With caries rates declining, dentists' numbers increasing, and federal policies changing the remuneration regulations to enhance preventive behavior in consumers, dentists are concerned about their shrinking incomes. In an attempt to secure their professional interests, a faction among dentists advocates to return to direct payment and to opt out of the sick fund scheme. Their strategy and professional goals are described and the chances of succeeding discussed.
ISSN:0197-5897
1745-655X
DOI:10.2307/3342537