CannaReporter
The German Joint Federal Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss, or G-BA) announced this week the exceptions to the approval requirements for prescribing medical cannabis under the legal health insurance system. Doctors in 16 specialties or with five specific additional qualifications are now exempt from this insurance approval requirement for medical cannabis products to be covered. This is yet another advance in the regulation of cannabis, which benefits healthcare professionals and facilitates German patients’ access to this therapy.
A decision will come into force if the Federal Ministry of Health does not raise any legal objections within two months and as soon as the G-BA publishes it in the Federal Gazette.
Previously, the initial prescription of medical cannabis required prior authorization from legal health insurance providers for reimbursement to be possible, which somewhat delayed the prescription processes and effective access for patients. In the case of subsequent prescriptions, approval was only required if there was a change of products.
“For physicians who hold this specialist designation, or additional specialization, the G-BA assumes that they can conclusively assess the requirements for cannabis regulation,” says the G-BA press release.
Now, doctors from 16 specialties or with five additional qualifications are exempt from this approval, but a voluntary request for authorization continues to be possible in case of doubt, in order to guarantee the safety of the prescription.
The specialties that can now prescribe cannabis without health insurance authorization are:
- General Medicine;
- Anesthesiology;
- Gynecology and Obstetrics with a focus on Gynecological Oncology;
- Internal medicine;
- Internal Medicine and Angiology;
- Internal Medicine and Endocrinology and Diabetology;
- Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology;
- Internal Medicine and Hematology and Oncology;
- Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases;
- Internal Medicine and Cardiology;
- Internal Medicine and Nephrology;
- Internal Medicine and Pulmonology;
- Internal Medicine and Rheumatology;
- Neurology;
- Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine;
- Psychiatry and Psychotherapy.
Doctors in other specialties may also prescribe cannabis without authorization from insurance companies if they have acquired one of the following additional qualifications:
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