Johannes Winkel, Chairman of the Young Union, is demanding that the costs associated with the health insurance of recipients of the Basic Income Support (Bürgergeld) be removed from the statutory health insurance system. Speaking to the news channel “Welt” he argued that the public must bear these costs through the state and the general public, rather than having them paid by contributors. Winkel warned that if the issue of healthcare for Basic Income Support recipients is not properly resolved, it could lead to a major problem with public acceptance of the proposed healthcare reform.
He stressed that maintaining the current funding model was untenable from both the state’s perspective and that of the contributors. “From the state’s viewpoint: If I make the decision that Basic Income Support recipients, who do not pay contributions themselves, must also be covered by the statutory health insurance, then I must also pay for it. I cannot leave that to the contributors” he stated.
Regarding the contributors, Winkel argued that if the government announces an increase in contributions and makes necessary cuts to benefits-which he acknowledged are needed due to major reform requirements-it could not simultaneously require them to continue funding Basic Income Support recipients, approximately half of whom do not even possess a German passport. “That cannot work, which is why we urgently need the proposal of having the costs for Basic Income Support recipients borne by the general public, and not by the contributors” he concluded.
Furthermore, Winkel expressed criticism regarding the planned increase in the contribution assessment ceiling proposed by Family Minister Nina Warken (CDU). He advocated that the reform focus should be on expenditure reform rather than revenue reform. “We have enough money in Germany-it is just sometimes distributed unfairly and inefficiently. We do not need more revenue for the state right now” he noted. He added that he was slightly surprised by the contribution assessment ceiling proposal, as it had not been listed in the suggestions from the commission.