[Patients' participation in the federal joint committee of the German health care system].

The first step of user participation which was established by the reform of the German health care system in 2004 currently presents one of the most essential innovations in health policy. The participation of patients' and consumers' representatives in the corporate bodies of the federal joint committee ("Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss") is, in addition to other activities, an essential contribution to more transparency in the decision process. Due to the participation and the consenting or even critical votes of the patients' representatives, the partially controversial resolutions receive more credibility and are better accepted. On the other hand, the consumers' and patients' organizations have proved to be a competent and reliable partner in order to argue for or against controversial decisions. Patients' participation reduces the legitimation deficits of the self-administrational bodies and thus helps to maintain the German health corporatism. The German health care system also benefits from patients' participation because it corresponds to the internal logic of its crucial principles of solidarity and reimbursement.