Diabetic test strips must be paid in future even

Small strips, big cost

This would save much money. Because among the small coated paper or plastic pieces to the big money makers in the health care system: cost € 50 Up to 35 pieces, per year, the statutory health insurers reimburse for more than 900 million €. If we add to privately-insured and self-pay, the turnover is even 1.2 billion euros.

Most test strips used by diabetics to inject insulin. For them, the measurement is inherent to the treatment: If too much sugar they need their insulin dose immediately stronger, because too much sugar in the blood vessels and damaging attacks the eyes and kidneys.

Every fifth test but uses a diabetic who injects himself no insulin because their pancreas still produces some insulin, namely. 4.7 million of these patients live in Germany, estimates the German Diabetes Society. Most of them swallow tablets regularly to support their body's own insulin production. Nearly a million of these diabetics using devices and strips for glucose measurement.
Studies show no benefit

It is these type-2 diabetics who are now paying off in late 2011 their test strips themselves. And indeed it is questionable whether the spades and fairs worthwhile for them. Those who take tablets, do not fit his daily therapy on the blood sugar but can be measured only once every few weeks by the doctor's long-term blood sugar. Only this value determines whether the pills must be dosed again. Nevertheless, many patients are outraged by the G-BA decision. When the committee met last Thursday in Berlin, in front of the building before 100 people showed their anger with whistles, mobilized by the German Diabetes Federation.

The G-BA's decision as relying on a report by the Cologne Institute for Efficiency and Quality in Healthcare (IQWiG). Then missing for diabetics to inject the insulin does not, any evidence that they live longer and healthier if they constantly monitor their blood sugar. "There is no data that this heart attacks, strokes, eye or kidney damage can be prevented. All we know is that measured patients have slightly lower long-term blood sugar levels. Whether they are healthier this is unclear," says Andreas Waltering IQWiG. Even the few studies on quality of life results show no advantage.

The German Diabetes Society other hand, relies on the experience of doctors that frequent blood glucose monitoring can help patients adjust their lifestyle to diabetes. This would also explain why patients in studies of the strip through to lower long-term glucose levels were: "If a diabetic is looking right, that blow up candy blood sugar and a walk him again lowered, he is more motivated to behave well - even if to the absence of studies, "says Bernhard Kulzer of the German Diabetes Society. "In addition, diabetics feel safer with the measurement because they feel their blood sugar is not so otherwise."
Exceptions provided

The G-BA is not enough:.. "It may be that the individual patient thus receives a higher sense of security medical terms enhance the test strips the treatment but not And since money is limited in the POS system, we must ask ourselves whether it is not used here in the wrong place, "says Rainer Hess, Chairman of the G-BA.

But it will give some exceptions: How about getting type 2 diabetes, which are switched on just one new drug or undergo an infection that continues to strip from the cash register. For in such situations can vary dramatically and the blood sugar must be controlled. Diabetics who need insulin injections, according to Rainer Hess fear no restriction on test strips: "There is no question that an insulin-dependent diabetics need these test strips are not something we will continue to shake.."

By mid-May now checks the Federal Health Ministry's decision of the G-BA. With a green light from the house Roesler will then be definitively clear who gets to the end of his sugar levels get paid by the cashier who does not.