Gesamtwirtschaftliche Entwicklungen in Deutschland als zukünftige Rahmenbedingungen des Gesundheitsmarktes

This article analyses prospective economical developments in Germany and discusses economic policy reforms needed to achieve sustainable economic growth in the context of the globalization of markets. The economic recovery will continue in 1999, but this will not provide a significant relief for the labour market. Without labour market reform and a further moderate wage policy no lasting decrease of unemployment can be expected. For the increase of employment the conditions on the supply side for business investment must be strengthened in Germany. Altogether the economic policy must accept the conditions of globalization. This affects employment policy, monetary policy, distribution policy, education policy and environmental policy. The state cannot regulate the economy at pleasure, as excess intervention will endanger the targets of an appropriate economic growth with high employment and will run against the objective of keeping appropriate social standards and environmental protection. The globalization puts the competitiveness of the social security systems including statutory health insurance at a severe test. The financing problems and disincentive effects must be overcome. Individual responsibility, the equivalence between contribution and provisions, and competition are crucial for health insurance. The health structure law of 1992 was a step in the right direction. But the competition between statutory health insurance agencies must be further intensified, the hospital financing must be arranged to meet business criteria, and the rewards must be adjusted in order to correspond to medical performances precisely. Altogether the health market must be freed from unnecessary regulations.