German Joint Federal Committee for Healthcare Services (G-BA) met today and recommended that liposuction for lipedema should be funded by the health insurance system in Germany for people with lipedema. This decision recognises that liposuction has clear benefits for treating lipedema in the legs and/or arms, regardless of the stage of lipedema.
In order for patients to be eligible it is expected that they have a formal diagnosis (from 2 separate healthcare professionals), undergo six months of conservative therapies, and have a relatively stable weight.
The Committee acknowledged the applicability of WHtR/waist-to-height-ratio as well as BMI in measuring lipedema vs obesity, and the need for obesity treatment where patients have lipedema and obesity.
This recommendation is for ongoing provision, not for a fixed period of time or trial period. Normal guideline reviews will take place as further scientific findings are published, such as the LIPLEG study which was pivotal in providing evidence for the Committee.
It is necessary now for the billing figures to be established for the outpatient procedures which they anticipate will complete by 01 January 2026. Lipedema World Alliance congratulates all involved in the decisions and contributions, including LWA Board Members Professor Manuel Cornely and Professor Mojtaba Ghods whose surgical centres provided the majority of LIPLEG patients, and Dr Gabriele Faerber co-ordinator and lead author of the German Lipedema Guidelines under the guidance of the German Society of Phlebology and Lymphology. LWA was also pleased to see the Committee considering the patient perspective with evidence given by Susanne Helmbrecht of the patient organisation Lymphselbsthilfe e.V which is an LWA Founder Member.
