Key Topics Patient safety Resilience Industries Social Economy Healthcare Industry

Hospital Reform Adjustment Act: "Reform of the reform" according to the bill by Federal Health Minister Nina Warken

The focus remains on adapting the hospital reform: Immediately after the Hospital Care Improvement Act (KHVVG) - the so-called hospital reform - was passed in November 2024, the CDU/CSU announced that it wanted to make extensive changes to the reform in order to prevent the impending closure of numerous hospitals in rural areas if it were to join the government.

In the coalition agreement, the CDU/CSU and SPD agreed accordingly in the spring of this year: "We will continue to develop a qualitative, needs-based and practical hospital landscape based on the hospital reform of the previous legislative period and regulate this by law by summer 2025." At the beginning of August, Federal Health Minister Nina Warken then presented a "Hospital Reform Adaptation Act" (KHAG). Here is an up-to-date overview of the planned changes and the possible effects.

Planning and legal certainty

The cabinet decision on the KHAG planned for 10 September was postponed at short notice. This is due to objections from the SPD-led Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Finance. The ministries criticise the fact that there are too many exemptions for the federal states and that the exemptions are too broadly defined. The next possible date for the bill to be passed by the federal cabinet is 1 October.

The delay has created uncertainty for all those involved in the lengthy consultations. Hospitals in particular need to know how things will proceed - it is also about setting a reliable framework. The federal government should now demonstrate its united ability to act.

Here is an assessment of the opportunities and risks to be expected.