Appointed chairman of the arbitration board
20.05.2011 10:06
The relevant organizations of pharmaceutical companies (BAH, BPI, Pro Generika and vfa) and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds have mutually agreed on the personnel of the newly founded arbitration board. Dr. Manfred Zipperer (former head of department in the Federal Ministry of Health) becomes impartial chairman. His deputies are Gerhard Schulte (former chairman of the BKK Bavarian regional association) and Erika Behnsen (former head of department in the Federal Ministry of Health). Other impartial members include Dr. Herbert Reichelt and Dr. Jörg Ludwig Pfletschinger was appointed, with Dr. Leonhard Hansen, Prof. Dr. Eckart Fiedler and Dr. Ottfried Zierenberg and Prof. Dr. Frank Ulrich Fricke.
With this step, the self-administration, together with the manufacturer associations of the pharmaceutical industry, has successfully completed the legislative requirement for the upcoming discount negotiations for pharmaceuticals in accordance with Section 130b SGB V. The aim of the Pharmaceutical Market Reorganization Act (AMNOG) is for pharmaceutical manufacturers and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds to negotiate reimbursement amounts for new drugs in the future on the basis of an additional benefit determined by the Federal Joint Committee. However, if the contracting parties cannot agree on a discount on the manufacturer's selling price through negotiations, the legislature provides that the arbitration board is called in pursuant to Section 130b SGB V and determines the amount. The negotiated or set discount applies not only to those insured by statutory health insurance, but to all people who purchase this medicine.
One of the arbitration board's first tasks will be to develop and adopt new rules of procedure. This is scheduled to begin in July 2011. The rules of procedure must be approved by the Federal Ministry of Health. The office of the arbitration board according to Section 130b SGB V is located at the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds. The first negotiations between pharmaceutical manufacturers and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds regarding specific reimbursement amounts will probably begin in January 2012.
The organizations involved have informed the Federal Ministry of Health about the staffing of the arbitration board