"Spahn should learn from mistakes": Free masks cost 2.5 billion

"Spahn should learn from mistakes"
Free masks cost 2.5 billion

More than 70 euros for 15 FFP2 masks is a proud price. This arises when the Federal Ministry of Health organizes the distribution together with the Federal Printing Office, health insurance companies and pharmacies.

The issue of corona protective masks to people over 60 and people with previous illnesses has cost around 2.5 billion euros so far. This emerges from the response of the Federal Ministry of Health to a request from the FDP parliamentary group.

The costs for printing and shipping the mask vouchers alone amount to around 31 million euros: 9.6 million euros are accounted for by printing the vouchers and 360,000 euros for their delivery to the health insurance companies that have been commissioned to send them. The letter postage then cost another 60 cents each, a total of more than 21 million euros. A total of 35.3 million "supply entitlement certificates" were printed and, with the exception of a remaining stock of 115,000, were sent by the Federal Printing Office to the health insurance funds, according to the ministry's answer, which is available on ntv.de.

The FDP does not criticize the allocation of masks, but the effort and costs: "It is right to provide vulnerable groups with masks for corona protection," says FDP health politician Wieland Schinnenburg. However, Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn chose a procedure that was much too bureaucratic and expensive. "2.5 billion euros is too much money, that is more than 70 euros per authorized person. It would have been significantly cheaper to send the masks directly to the authorized persons by post or parcel service. The federal government has not even checked this. " Schinnenburg demands from Spahn "to make masks available unbureaucratically and cheaply".

In view of the central role played by the Ministry of Health in the expansion of the national test strategy that was decided on Wednesday evening, Schinnenburg is concerned that the organization of the rapid tests will work better. Spahn should "finally learn from his mistakes," says the FDP politician. "With the free quick tests, an economic and bureaucratic catastrophe like the one with the distribution of protective masks must not be repeated."

Six euros per mask – and then the price fell

Until January 6, there were one-time three masks in pharmacies for those entitled, even without a voucher, if the customers were able to prove their entitlement. For this purpose, 491.4 million euros were transferred to the night and emergency service fund of the German Pharmacists' Association.

In January, on behalf of the federal government, the health insurance companies sent two forgery-proof authorization certificates for six protective masks each, produced by the Bundesdruckerei. With the vouchers you could and can pick up the masks in pharmacies. There are six masks each for January and February and from mid-February to mid-April. The federal government expects costs of 1.2 billion euros for January and February and 0.8 billion euros for the second period of validity up to April 15. The reimbursement of the administrative expenses of the health insurance companies is not yet included. The 2 euro contribution that each claimant has to pay for six masks "remains in the pharmacy and will be offset against the pharmacy's reimbursement claim," the answer continues.

In January and February, the pharmacies received 6 euros for each mask, afterwards 3.90 euros due to falling prices. The reimbursement amount of 6 euros was based on a market survey commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Health. "Based on the price developments in the different mask classes as of October 9, 2020, this resulted in an average price for FFP2 masks of 4.29 euros net, corresponding to a gross price of 5.11 euros." In the meantime, the procurement costs have been reduced, admits the ministry. Samples had shown "that the average wholesale price for FFP2 masks by the end of February 2021 had fallen from 1.62 euros with proven certification to a price range of 40 to 80 cents". In retail, the price range is currently between 90 cents and 1.50 euros.

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