Germany’s Federal Audit Office (Bundesrechnungshof) has issued a warning regarding the escalating financial difficulties within the statutory health insurance system, calling for swift cost-saving measures. A report delivered to the Bundestag’s Budget Committee, details obtained by Politico reveal, indicates a widening gap between income and expenditure, growing annually by six to eight billion euros.
The report projects that supplementary contribution rates could rise to 4.05 percent by 2029, potentially hindering economic growth. The Audit Office criticizes the government for delaying necessary action.
A key driver of increasing expenditure, the report states, is the removal of cost-containment regulations. This is compounded by advancements in medical technology and demographic shifts-specifically, an aging population. The report highlights that the approaching retirement of insured individuals will lead to decreased contributions while simultaneously increasing expenditure, exacerbating the existing structural deficit.
Auditors are urging systemic cuts. The report explicitly calls for measures to stabilize the financial situation of the statutory health insurance system in the short term, encompassing all relevant performance areas, particularly those experiencing significant cost increases.
Delays, the report emphasizes, are resulting in further, avoidable expenditure, citing the planned hospital reform as a critical area. Core elements of the reform-aimed at increasing efficiency, shifting towards outpatient care and improving quality-should not be diluted. The Audit Office also suggests a review of the de-budgeting of certain areas of outpatient care.