Krankenhausreform (hospital structural reform) enters force

The Krankenhausversorgungsverbesserungsgesetz passed the Bundesrat on 22 November 2024 and came into force on 1 January 2025. It overhauls hospital funding — shifting from per-case DRG payments toward a part-reserved "Vorhaltepauschale" funding floor — and tightens minimum case volumes for specialist treatments, which is expected to consolidate smaller hospitals over the coming years.