In January 2009, the Health Care Ordinance (VersMedV) came into force with the “Health Care Principles”. They serve the health care experts as a legally binding norm for an appropriate, flawless and, in the same circumstances, uniform evaluation basis for the most varied of effects of health disorders, with special consideration of an appropriate relationship between one another. On this basis, the degree of disability (GdB) or the degree of damage (GdS) is determined.
The "Health Care Principles" are drawn up and further developed on the basis of the current state of medical science using evidence-based medicine. In the sense of the UN Disability Rights Convention, taking into account the findings from the ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health), impairments of participation are mapped in a comparable way. The independent "Medical Expert Advisory Board for Health Care" advises the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs on all health care matters and prepares the further development of the "Health Care Principles" in accordance with the current state of medical science and health care requirements.