Berlin, 1 February 2011
With effect from 1 January 2011, the ruling body of the self administration system which governs the relationships between physicians, hospitals, and health insurances (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss) has decided to raise the minimum threshold of cases per year a hospital must reach in order to qualify for health insurance coverage of treatment costs for premature infants with very low birth weight (level-1-treatment) from 14 to 30. According to experts, this would half the number of the existing 130 level-1-treatment centres in Germany. RAUE LLP represents a large Berlin hospital with level-1-treatment facilities which challenged the decision before the competent court (Landessozialgericht Berlin-Brandenburg). RAUE LLP has now secured an unprecedented preliminary suspension of the decision.   

 

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