The Parliamentary Managing Director of the CSU state group in the Bundestag, Reinhard Brandl, indicated that there are several points within Health Minister Nina Warken’s (CDU) reform package for statutory health insurance that still require discussion.
Brandl stated on Friday to the TV channel “Welt” that the government is currently in a “coordination phase”. He explained, “Everyone is contributing their perspective. And when it gets to parliament, hopefully starting April 29th, we will examine it closely”.
In his view, raising the contribution assessment ceiling by 300 euros sends the wrong signal. He emphasized a core objective: “It is that we do not burden employees and employers any further. That we create incentives for more work. And we will look at this aspect closely as well”.
While Brandl did not wish to demand the reversal of specific measures, such as the contribution assessment ceiling raise, he stressed the overall need to adhere to fundamental principles. He added, “We are looking at the entire package. We have some guidelines. And one of these guidelines is that, wherever possible, we must avoid additional burdens for employers and employees”.
Brandl also intends to reopen the discussion regarding the planned near-elimination of family insurance coverage. “As the CSU, we see ourselves as a family party. And we also want to strengthen families and the bond within them” he said. “It is also true that in a marriage, one partner takes responsibility for the other and must, financially, participate in the care of the other in an emergency. We want to honor that accordingly”.
Furthermore, according to Brandl, the CSU still has the goal of having the costs associated with recipients of the citizen’s benefit (Bürgergeld) removed from the statutory health insurance system. He argued that this would represent “an honest reallocation because these are costs that the taxpayer must bear-and not just the legally insured people”. He continued, asserting, “To bring honesty to the debate, we also want cost honesty within the system. And, in our view, this cost honesty must include the fact that the taxpayer must also cover the costs for recipients of the citizen’s benefit. However, ultimately, we must agree on an overall package with the SPD”.