Structural reforms instead of cuts in the provision of assistive devices

The provision of assistive devices needs structural changes, not indiscriminate cuts. This is the demand of "Wir Versorgung Deutschland" (WvD) on the occasion of the presentation of the 2026 assistive device study entitled "Care Navigation: The Future of Assistive Device Provision".

The 2026 Assistive Devices Study examines the future of assistive device provision in Germany. Around 1.000 employees from medical supply stores and homecare companies participated in the industry survey. The study, titled "Care Navigation: The Future of Assistive Device Provision," has now been published. One finding is that even before the planned across-the-board three percent reduction in the draft of the Contribution Rate Stabilization Act for statutory health insurance (GKV), around 76 percent of respondents see the economic viability of many businesses as being threatened in the long term by the existing reimbursement structure.

"The provision of assistive devices needs structural changes, not indiscriminate cuts," emphasizes the "We Provide for Germany" (WvD) alliance, which also includes the Federal Guild Association for Orthopedic Technology (BIV-OT). WvD demands that the cuts be scrapped without replacement. The study was conducted by the opta data Future Foundation together with the Institute for Future Psychology and Future Management (IZZ) in cooperation with the BIV-OT and the Association for Quality of Care in Homecare.

No indiscriminate austerity measures

Assistive Devices Study 2026: You can download the assistive devices study here . The study also shows that the challenges facing assistive device provision, from the shortage of skilled workers to demographic change, cannot be solved with indiscriminate cost-cutting measures. "The assistive device provision sector has been operating under enormous economic pressure for years. The study's findings clearly demonstrate that many companies had already reached their breaking point before the current reform plans: Around 76 percent of respondents stated that the existing reimbursement structure threatens the long-term survival of many businesses," explain WvD General Secretaries Kirsten Abel and Dr. Henning Schweer.

"The consequences are already visible today: Approximately 56 percent of the surveyed practice owners have consciously avoided particularly costly cases. Around 43 percent of respondents stated that they had not implemented innovations because they were not financially viable. These include, for example, investments in high-tech production, digital diagnostics, or IT infrastructure. These are alarming warning signs. Anyone who decides on across-the-board reimbursement cuts in this situation is not only jeopardizing the future of many businesses, but also the local healthcare provision for millions of patients."

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Reverse planned cut

The sector is not defined solely by better funding. This, too, is a finding of the study. "Those surveyed see considerable potential in the consistent digitalization of processes, a noticeable reduction in bureaucracy, and closer collaboration among all healthcare professions. Investments in digital networking and modern care management would relieve the burden on healthcare professionals, give them more time for patient care, prevent under- and inappropriate care, and thus save costs in the long run," said Abel and Schweer.

WvD believes politicians have a responsibility to reverse the three percent cut in funding for assistive devices. Instead, they argue for reducing bureaucracy, implementing consistent digitalization, fostering greater trust in the competence of service providers, and swiftly introducing electronic prescriptions for assistive devices. "Especially given an aging society, the rise in chronic illnesses, and the politically driven shift towards outpatient care, Germany needs a high-performing assistive device supply system."

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