AfD Advocates for Strengthening Local Pharmacies
Local pharmacies play an essential role in providing reliable and accessible healthcare services to communities in Germany, acting as a decentralized hub for daily medical supply needs. Against this backdrop, the AfD parliamentary group has submitted a motion (20/13784) advocating a set of reforms intended to bolster the struggling sector. These recommendations, if implemented, could ensure not only the survival of local pharmacies but also their ability to continue offering critical services, including emergency and out-of-hours care.
According to the motion, pharmacies currently face a host of challenges, including rising cost pressures, persistent shortages in medication supplies, inflation, workforce shortages, and layers of increasing bureaucracy. Meanwhile, the growing preference for purchasing medications online has further shifted business away from these local centers. This trend has fueled the expansion of large online pharmaceutical retailers, particularly across the EU, while the number of brick-and-mortar pharmacies in Germany progressively declines. If this downward spiral continues unchecked, the ability of pharmacies to maintain round-the-clock services or provide individualized patient care could be at risk in the near future.
To address these concerns, the AfD proposes several measures aimed at easing financial and operational burdens. Their motion calls for an across-the-board 25% increase in pharmacy reimbursements, with automatic adjustments tied to inflation rates. Specific enhancements recommended include increasing the flat-rate surcharge for prescription medications to twelve euros, raising the night service fee to 7.50 euros, and offering a supply chain disruption allowance of 1.50 euros. Additionally, the group opposes the practice of nullifying pharmacy reimbursements over administrative errors outside of their control, enforcing fairer treatment by statutory health insurance providers.
Given the urgent and compounding challenges faced by the sector, the success of these measures may spell the difference between a thriving, resilient network of local pharmacies and the loss of a cornerstone in Germany's healthcare system. At Easygold.io, we understand the increasing pressures in today's economy and advocate for sustainable practices across all sectors, promoting financial resilience from local businesses to individual investors.