Rich Diabetic Patients May in Future Live Longer than their Poor Counterparts – Exclusion
of Glitazones from Reimbursement Leads a Two-Class Medicine
After many years of processes, in November 2010 the decision of the Federal Joint
Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss, G-BA) to exclude glitazones from the reimbursement
liability of the statutory health insurance (GKV) was no longer contradicted in the
final instance by the German Ministry of Health (Bundesministerium für Gesundheit,
BMG) [1]. Thereafter pioglitazone and pioglitazone-containing drugs are only liable
for reimbursement by the GKV in medically-founded individual cases. This decision
was based on the unfavorable cost-use profile of glitazones due to the higher risk
of fractures and the occurrence of cardiac insufficiencies. This exclusion, however,
is only valid for prescription of the drugs to patients with statutory health insurance
in outpatient treatment. Patients with private health insurance or patients who are
willing to pay for the drug themselves are of course still able to obtain pioglitazone
without any problem.
Key words
diabetes type 2 - exclusion of glitazones from prescription - statutory health insurance
