Only four weeks left for agreement between health insurers and companies
Taxi and hire car companies are an indispensable part of medical care in the state of Brandenburg: they have been reliably providing patient transport for years to transport people with limited mobility to dialysis, cancer treatments or hospital stays, for example – especially in rural areas.
However, it is not yet clear whether patient transport can still be offered in the state of Brandenburg from January 1, 2026. The current price agreement between health insurance companies and companies ends on 31 December 2025 and the health insurance companies have so far shown no willingness to pay the companies adequate prices for the services in future.
On behalf of the state working group of the Brandenburg Chambers of Industry and Commerce, Monique Zweig, Managing Director of the East Brandenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce, emphasizes: "The companies, but also the patients in the state of Brandenburg, absolutely need planning security. It is unacceptable that no agreement has been reached one month before the contract expires."
Taxi and hire car companies have been faced with enormous cost increases for years – in taxes, insurance, vehicle purchase and maintenance, fuel and personnel costs. However, they are unable to pass these increased costs on to their customers – the health insurance companies – as the remuneration rates are stagnating. The situation has now worsened dramatically. Companies in Brandenburg are currently driving for so little money that it is barely possible for them to pay their employees the minimum wage for patient journeys. Against this background, there have been lengthy negotiations between the companies and the health insurance companies for months, so far without success.
Monique Zweig makes it clear what will happen if the companies stop providing their services: "A nursing home will then alert an ambulance much more quickly if a patient needs to see a doctor, even if the situation is not life-threatening. And this ambulance is then significantly more expensive".
The state working group (LAG) is a cooperation of the three chambers of industry and commerce in the state of Brandenburg. It represents the interests of around 160,000 companies from industry, trade and services.