Bahr calls for reform of statutory health insurance and private health insurance

Black and yellow federal government continues for dual health insurance system

20/06/2013

The black-yellow federal government continues to hold on to the dual health insurance system from statutory and private health insurance. However, Federal Minister of Health Daniel Bahr also sees a need for legislative changes here.

Scope of performance in the dual system is unique worldwide according to Bahr
In the discussion on the abolition of private health insurance, Federal Minister of Health Daniel Bahr has attended the annual meeting of the „Association of Private Health Insurance“ again „emphatically pronounced for the coexistence of private and statutory health insurance“, so the information on the website of the association. Accordingly, according to Bahr „Competition and diversity the goal“, because he is concerned about that „Mission statement of a person who can decide for himself how he wants to assure himself.“ According to Bahr, the current level of care in Germany can only be guaranteed by the dual health insurance system, because: „In the dual system, we have a broad range of services that is second to none in the world and in Europe, "said the minister on Wednesday at the annual conference of the association in Berlin.

Bahr calls in the discussion about civil insurance "ideological disarmament“
According to Bahr, the present system would provide every patient in Germany with the necessary care. Therefore, according to Bahr, the discussion on the redesign of the health insurance system and that required by Red / Green should be discussed „citizens insurance“ „ideologically disarmed“ become. Because in comparison to other systems would be just in the freedom of choice, the big advantage, therefore must „Maintain the principle that the insured themselves decide where and how they want to insure themselves“, said the Minister of Health.

Need for reform in both statutory health insurance and private health insurance
Despite the advantages of the dual system, according to Bahr there would be a need for reform in both types of insurance, because both statutory health insurance and private health insurance would have advantages, but also disadvantages - therefore, a further development would have to take place, as both should learn from each other. In general, the minister should not have either the statutory or the private health insurance „cherry picking“ Accordingly, it should, for example, the so-called „optional plans“ in the SHI, as these would only finance themselves by preventing well-off voluntarily insured people from switching to private insurance.

Electoral tariffs should become more expensive and therefore less attractive
Because since 2007, public health insurance companies have the opportunity to offer their insured different benefits at different rates, which are in part very similar to the offer of private insurers and according to information from health insurances are currently used by about nine million cash patients. Therefore, private insurers have long been calling for the abolition of these tariffs - but the Federal Ministry of Health does not want to prohibit them altogether, but instead plans to make them more expensive and therefore less attractive by changing the law for the health insurances.

Praise for „opening action“ various insurers
In contrast, Bahr spoke favorably for those initiated by the PKV leader Debeka „opening action“ various insurers (for example, Signal Iduna and HUK-Coburg), because this action would allow health insurers to offer employees and their family members full insurance regardless of their health status, with any risk premiums limited to 30 per cent. This model should be followed by other companies, because "I see such approaches very positive“, so Bahr.

Demand for greater involvement of private health insurance in the area of ​​integrated care
Nevertheless, there were also clear demands from the health minister for the providers of private health insurance - because they should „more involved in the field of integrated care and treatment programs for certain clinical pictures [.]“. Accordingly, the PKV should offer tariffs and care structures in line with demographic change in order to better manage the future situation.

Also with contributions and internal change possibilities reform need with the PKV
According to Bahr, there is also a need for further action with regard to contributions and internal change options, because here as well, statutory changes would be necessary for private health insurance companies. So he was generally for „Competition and diversity“, However, the competition must work according to rules - and that is precisely where the minister is concerned about the risk, because „The competition can just outgrow health insurance.“ (No)