The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is pressuring Health Minister Nina Warken of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to advance the proposed savings package for statutory health‑insurance funds through the Bundestag before the summer recess.
SPD health policy spokesman Christos Pantazis told “Der Spiegel” that the party wants the legislative process to move quickly, yet with due care. His aim is to finish the bill “before the summer break – ideally with a third reading in the last parliamentary week of July”.
Warken, however, had cautioned at the Monday presentation of the commission’s report that she intends to bring the reform to the cabinet by July at the latest. She said that a Bundestag approval would realistically only occur in the autumn. Pantazis rejected this timetable, insisting that while thoroughness matters, the goal is “to reach viable and consensus‑able solutions swiftly”. The ministry has yet to publish a timetable, but the coalition plans to begin negotiations “immediately after Easter” the social democrat noted.
The commission’s report contained 66 proposals that could generate up to €42 billion in savings for 2027. The insurance funds face a €15.3 billion fiscal gap for the following year.
On Tuesday, Warken reiterated her commitment to pass a substantial €40 billion savings package. She said the ministry needs to secure the savings required to maintain stable contributions, with more than €15 billion needed for the next year alone. “But we must think beyond the next year-our aim is to keep contributions stable for years to come. That means the savings must be even larger” she explained to RTL and ntv.
Warken stressed that the package must close at least the 2027 shortfall and also produce effects in subsequent years to give citizens confidence in stable premiums and planning certainty. “If we look ahead to 2030 and see a €40 billion deficit in statutory health insurance, and we want to close that gap to keep premiums stable until 2030, the savings measures must reach that volume” she said.
Some measures will deliver quick results, others will take effect more gradually, showing their impact in later years. “We have to plan for our goal of stable contributions up to 2030, so we must close the deficit by that year” the minister concluded.