Bavaria: Hospitals fear a crisis due to high inflation

Munich/Augsburg (dpa/lby) - The hospitals in Bavaria fear supply bottlenecks due to high inflation.

Bavaria: Hospitals fear a crisis due to high inflation

Munich/Augsburg (dpa/lby) - The hospitals in Bavaria fear supply bottlenecks due to high inflation. In the current year, the clinics in the Free State are missing more than 530 million euros due to inflation and rising energy prices alone, said the managing director of the Bavarian Hospital Society, Roland Engehausen, of the "Augsburger Allgemeine" (Saturday). "Facilities are left with the current cost explosions at the expense of supply and employees," he criticized.

The cost pressure has become dramatic in recent weeks due to massive price increases for energy, medical products, medicines, IT products and services as well as food. The medical products, which are becoming increasingly expensive, made up almost half of the material costs. The increase in energy costs affects the clinics to a similar extent as private households. However, a maximum increase in costs of 2.3 percent is taken into account in the financing.

The hospitals would need an immediate surcharge for 2022 and more leeway for negotiations with the health insurance companies. Otherwise, there is a risk of a financial crisis and thus a supply crisis with the next corona wave in autumn.