Status: 09/23/2022 12:37 p.m
The statutory health insurance companies are expecting a record deficit in the coming year. Minister of Health Lauterbach is planning a higher additional contribution and more grants from the federal government. In the Bundestag he faced sharp criticism.
Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach has defended plans to compensate for a billion-dollar gap in statutory health insurance in the coming year. The vast majority will not be paid for by increasing the contribution rate on the employee side, said the SPD politician on Friday when introducing a draft law in the Bundestag.
0.3 percent more additional contribution
The planned increase of 0.3 percentage points is reasonable and not unfair. “In contrast to taxes, every employer pays half.” The increase in the additional contribution by 0.3 percent also accounts for only ten percent of the volume of the overall package, said Lauterbach.
The financial package decided by the cabinet is intended to absorb an expected minus of 17 billion euros. Among other things, an additional federal subsidy of two billion euros, a reduction in financial reserves at the health insurers, a contribution from the pharmaceutical industry, the elimination of an extra fee for new patients in practices – and the increase in the contribution rate are also planned.
No performance cuts
As reasons for the deficit, Lauterbach cited increases in spending while at the same time refraining from structural reforms, but also the demographic development and the costs of the pandemic. He again announced that he would soon make proposals to provide financial support to hospitals because of rising energy prices. It will also be a matter of relieving the patient’s own shares in care.
Lauterbach reiterated that financial reserves in the health care system should be addressed first, without cutting benefits for insured persons. This principle should not be shaken during the entire legislative period. “In the event of unauthorized attacks, we will withstand lobby pressure,” said the minister. With a view to “efficiency reserves”, he explained that funds with many reserves had massively increased retirement provisions for board members. There are also cash registers “where the board members earn significantly more than the Federal Chancellor”.
Double billing of care services in clinics should be eliminated. For pharmaceutical companies, the time in which very high prices for new drugs remain unchanged should be shortened. “It can only happen in this form in Germany anyway,” said Lauterbach about the status quo.
Sharp criticism from Bavaria
The Bavarian Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) sharply criticized the plans and spoke of a “destabilization law”. If the contributions increase, it is not a good signal for people. In addition, the additional federal subsidy of two billion is far too small.
Skimming off the health insurance companies is the wrong way. They are no longer even willing to finance the health kiosk project. It was only in August that Lauterbach proposed setting up 1,000 such health kiosks throughout Germany in the long term, based on the Hamburg model.
Above all, they should improve access to medical care for patients in socially disadvantaged regions – with a wide range of offers from advice to simple routine tasks such as measuring blood pressure, changing bandages or injecting medication. However, the first health insurance companies have already announced that they will phase out their support for the kiosks. “That must give you something to think about,” said Holetschek to Lauterbach: “You are heading for a supply blackout.”