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Corona test center in Hamburg
Photo: HANNO BODE / imago images / Hanno Bode
Corona rapid tests offered free of charge have so far cost the federal government more than three billion euros.
At the request of the "Rheinische Post", the Federal Ministry of Health referred to corresponding information from the Federal Social Security Office (BAS).
Accordingly, in 2021 the federal government paid 782 million euros for laboratory diagnostics, material costs for the antigen rapid tests (PoC procedure) 1.084 billion euros and for other services in accordance with the test regulation, such as smear tests, just under 1.75 billion euros. In addition, the federal government paid around 74 million euros for tests in integration assistance facilities and homeless shelters. In total, that is just under 3.7 billion euros in 2021.
Discussions are currently underway about ending the exemption from costs for tests in the future for all those for whom there is a vaccination recommendation. The Federal Ministry of Health proposed this change from mid-October. It is assumed that anyone who wants a vaccination can have full vaccination protection by then. The tests remained free of charge for children as long as there is no vaccination recommendation for them, and for people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.
The German Association of Towns and Municipalities showed sympathy for the plans.
Whoever refuses the vaccination is making a personal decision, the consequence of which the state does not have to finance, said chief executive Gerd Landsberg to the »Handelsblatt«.
"The nationwide free citizen tests for everyone devour large sums of taxpayers' money, which should better be invested in further vaccination campaigns."
Tests only for the well-heeled?
In contrast, the health policy spokeswoman for the Greens parliamentary group, Maria Klein-Schmeink, criticized the initiative in the same paper.
The ministry leaves open how the continuation of the test infrastructure should be guaranteed.
It is also not responsible if, in the event of an increasing number of infections, only the “well-heeled” could be tested in autumn.
Should tests actually become chargeable, the Federal Chamber of Pharmacists expects an increasing willingness to take advantage of the vaccinations, which are also free of charge.
That said Chamber President Thomas Benkert of the "Rheinische Post".
dab / dpa
