AOK Bayern instead of contribution reduction additional contribution

AOK Bayern: Contribution reduction is lifted by additional contribution

03/12/2014

From 1 January 2015, the statutory health insurance contribution will be reduced from 15.5 to 14.6 percent. For many insured, this does not mean that they will have to pay less in the future. The AOK Bavaria, for example, raises an additional contribution of 0.9 percent, so that there is no change in the total.

Health insurance companies may charge additional contributions
The statutory health insurance contribution will fall from 1 January of the coming year from the current 15.5 percent to 14.6 percent. However, for many insured, this does not mean that they will have to pay less in the future. The statutory health insurance funds have the option of making an additional contribution in order to cover their financial needs due to the GKV financial reform. So far, only a few of the 131 health insurance companies have informed their members whether and in what amount they want to make an additional contribution. The fourth largest fund in the country, the AOK Bayern has now announced its additional contribution.

Nullsummenspiel at AOK Bayern
This will amount to 0.9 percent for the 4.3 million members of the AOK Bayern. So exactly the proportion that makes up the reduction. Thus, the whole thing becomes a zero-sum game. The sum remains the same. In a recent press release of the fund it says: „A contribution roller coaster will not exist.“ Other insured, such as the AOK Plus and the AOK Saxony-Anhalt, however, can look forward to a reduction in the rate to 14.9 percent. Several other health insurance companies in the Free State have announced that they will announce their additional contribution for the coming year in the coming days and weeks.

Special right of termination with additional contribution
From the point of the top federation of the legal health insurance companies (GKV) is not expected that there will be cash registers, which will renounce on additional contributions completely. Otherwise, as a result of the lower general contribution rate, which will apply from 2015, the health fund will incur a shortfall of 11 billion euros. This, without the expenditure would be reduced accordingly. Those insured, whose health insurance fund makes an additional contribution, receive a special right of termination. For many of the insured, however, this is irrelevant, as they are usually insured for more than 18 months at the box office and anyway could change at any time to another fund.

Rising costs forecast
However, among other things advises the Federal Insurance Office from making hasty decisions and pay attention in the choice of health insurance not only on the differences in the additional contribution. Thus, advice, service, special services or the presence of a local office in case of a possible change should be considered. Whether it will remain with the respective funds in the soon to be known additional contributions, is questionable anyway, as experts generally assume rising costs, the funds could pass on to their members. For example, the GKV circle of experts, which is composed of experts from the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Insurance Office and the GKV-Spitzenverband, had predicted a 4.1% increase in general expenses per insured person for the coming year. (Ad)