Germany's health reform faces pushback over specialist referral rules and spending cuts

The German government is proposing a health‑care reform that would require patients to obtain a referral before seeing a specialist, a measure critics say will add bureaucratic hurdles and increase costs for patients.

At the same time, a multi‑billion‑euro savings package aimed at reducing statutory health‑insurance spending by €16.3 billion by 2027 has sparked resistance from the states and primary‑care doctors. They warn that blanket cuts could strain hospital and outpatient services, lengthen waiting times and jeopardise digital infrastructure such as billing and patient‑portal systems.

Both proposals are being debated in the Bundesrat, with opponents calling for more targeted reforms that protect care quality while addressing the projected insurance deficit.