In the face of a multi-billion euro deficit in the statutory health insurance, the Kassen Union and the SPD are calling for drastic measures to stabilize the finances to be agreed upon in their coalition negotiations. “We need an expenditure moratorium, so that expenses do not continue to rise faster than income” said the head of the Kassen-Spitzenverband, Doris Pfeiffer, to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”.
The moratorium should remain in place until suitable structural reforms have brought income and expenses back into balance, according to Pfeiffer. According to the latest calculations, the deficit of the health insurance funds in the previous year was 6.2 billion euros, which is 700 million euros higher than previously expected. “The expenditure dynamic is unbroken and now swift action is needed” she emphasized.
The statutory health insurance funds had to increase their contribution rates at the beginning of the year by a significant amount, the strongest increase in at least 50 years. The rates rose by around 1.2 percentage points to a new all-time high of an average of 17.5 percent. “If the government does not act immediately, the contribution spiral will simply continue to turn” warned Pfeiffer. This would mean for millions of insured individuals and their employers that health insurance contributions would rise significantly again, as early as 2026, according to the association’s head.
“We need a brake on the continuous increase in expenses. With an expenditure moratorium, it can be ensured that health insurance funds do not spend more than they take in with the current contribution rate level” said Pfeiffer. There should be no more price or honorarium increases that go beyond the current income. “This way, the government gains time to tackle the necessary structural reforms.”
A fundamental change of course in health policy is needed, the association’s head demanded. The problem is the galloping expenses. “Here, the government must take action, because too often the health insurance funds have to pay too much money for too little quality” she said. The health policy of the past ten years has known many winners and one loser: the hospitals have received more money than ever before, the pharmaceutical companies have seen massive income increases and the doctors have seen disproportionately rising honorariums. The losers are the premium payers, “who have to pay for all this through high contribution rate increases” said Pfeiffer.