Innovation requires health services research

Statement by the German Network for Health Services Research regarding cuts to funding for the Innovation Fund

On April 29, 2026, the Cabinet passed the Statutory Health Insurance Premium Stabilization Act (GKV-BStabG). This bill includes numerous measures aimed at reducing statutory health insurance (GKV) expenditures and stabilizing premiums. The DRFZ’s research would also be affected by these cuts. Therefore, the DRFZ supports the statement issued by the German Network for Health Services Research.

In particular, funding for the Innovation Fund of the Joint Federal Committee (G-BA) is set to be significantly reduced. The Innovation Fund is a funding instrument designed to finance specific projects whose implementation improves healthcare in Germany. Within the framework of the Innovation Fund, innovative measures are tested not only for their effectiveness but also for their cost-effectiveness. This allows, for example, over-provision, under-provision, or misprovision of care to be identified.

The four working groups within the Epidemiology and Health Services Research program area also conduct research funded by the Innovation Fund. Cutting funding for the Innovation Fund would be a misguided cost-cutting measure—without scientific guidance, it is impossible to determine where healthcare needs to be improved. The results of Innovation Fund projects also offer significant potential for preventing severe disease outcomes by identifying at-risk groups.The targeted allocation of funding from the Innovation Fund enables long-term savings—this is not an area where cuts should be made!