The economic situation of many hospitals in Germany continues to worsen. This has serious consequences for public finances. In 2024, local authorities had to raise between four and five billion euros to cover the deficits of their hospitals. This results in a subsidy of around 20,000 euros per hospital bed in municipal ownership. This is the conclusion of a study published in June by the consulting firm Curacon on the economic situation of German hospitals.
Thomas Lemke, CEO of Sana Kliniken AG, describes the effects of unilateral deficit financing from tax revenues in the study: “The result is that a third pillar of hospital financing has become established in Germany, namely unilateral financing in the form of billions in tax subsidies for publicly owned hospitals. Non-profit and private operators, which account for almost two-thirds of all hospitals, are excluded from this. We therefore urgently need equal treatment for all types of operators, not only because it is required by constitutional law. We also need inflation compensation and the implementation of market-based incentive systems in order to be able to continue to finance hospitals as part of critical infrastructure in the future. So that public services and economic efficiency are no longer at odds with each other! ”
Article published on the BDPK website
