Status: 13.10.2021 7:51 p.m.
The statutory health insurances are threatened with a billion hole in the coming year. Health Minister Spahn nevertheless reaffirmed his commitment to keep the insured’s contributions stable.
The statutory health insurance companies in Germany will need a record subsidy from the federal government in the coming year. As the central association of statutory health insurance (GKV) announced, there is an additional financial requirement of seven billion euros. This was predicted by experts from the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Social Security Office and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds.
According to its own announcement, the committee expects expenditure for the health insurance companies of around 284 billion euros, after an estimated 272 billion euros this year. Since it was stipulated by law that the additional contributions to health insurance should be kept stable at an average of 1.3 percent in the next year, the gap must be closed with additional money from the federal government.
Health minister promises stable contributions
The federal grant, like the health insurance contributions from employers and employees, flows into the health fund, from which the health insurance funds are paid. Usually the grant is 14.5 billion euros. An additional seven billion have already been planned for the coming year. With a further seven billion euros, the grant would grow to 28.5 billion euros. The federal government must initiate this by ordinance.
Health Minister Jens Spahn said: “We have invested a lot in the last three years: in better care, in faster digitization, in comprehensive care – and above all in coping with the pandemic. That pays off for the patients. But it costs especially after an economic crisis. “
Parliament wrote the promise of stable contributions in the law. They stand by this social guarantee. “That is why we will now quickly submit a corresponding ordinance and coordinate it with the Federal Ministry of Finance.”
Criticism from the DGB
The German trade union federation (DGB) accused Spahn of having caused the higher costs himself. “His expensive reforms have torn a growing hole in the finances of the health insurance funds,” said DGB board member Anja Piel. “To stuff that again is a big task for the next federal government. This is another reason why every new access to the reserves of the members of the health insurance funds is not only unjust, but also absolutely irresponsible.”