Due to his previous position as Minister of Health, his move to a private sector healthcare player has been heavily criticized by the public.

In 2008 he completed another course of study, focusing on international healthcare and hospital management, graduating with a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

In 2003, he became chairman of the party's "Zukunftsforum" (Future Forum) on "Frauen, kinderfreundliches Deutschland, Generationengerechtigkeit" ("Women, Child-friendly Germany, a Generation Fairness").

Bahr served as the chairman of the FDP in the Münsterland district in 2006, and led the party's opposition against the grand coalition's health sector reform.

From February to mid-2014, Bahr served as a health care reform advisor for the think tank Center for American Progress.

[5] In 2010, Bahr caused controversy when he—amid a dispute over the proposals of Philipp Rösler to introduce a health premium—accused the coalition partner CSU of behaving like "wild boar" and "only destructive".