Chefarztbehandlung only possible with PKV?

Electoral tariffs should be abolished at the statutory health insurance in favor of private health insurance. Health insurance companies are protesting against this step: these cuts are "client policy" over private insurance.

(22.08.2010) In the course of health care reform, the eligibility of statutory health insurance funds should be limited. Numerous additional insurance such as the chief physician treatment, foreign health insurance and single occupancy will be reserved from January 1, 2011 only the private health insurance (PKV). The health insurances defend themselves against this project, here the private health insurance would be strongly favored to the detriment of the legal coffers.

The project of the Federal Minister of Health Philipp Rösler (FDP) is obvious. Insured who earn excessively, all arguments should be withdrawn, continue to be insured in the statutory. Thus plans in this course, the black-yellow federal government to facilitate the change from GKV to PKV substantially. Thus, the statutory health insurance companies lost very good contributors. The parity system of health care is thus clearly shaken. Especially those who are young and unattached and have a high net income will switch from SHI to private health insurance. But these contributors are also the ones who create the social balance to the elderly and the chronically ill. The latter are very cost intensive.

The bosses of health insurance, these plans abound. For example, the head of the Barmer GEK, Birgit Fischer, told Rheinische Post that it was fundamentally wrong to significantly restrict the freedom of action of the statutory health insurance funds. Fischer warned not to destroy the competition. It is "not about who makes the offers, but who makes the best deals," said Fischer on Thursday.

The Barmer GEK chairman warned the federal government against strengthening the market position of private health insurance at the expense of the legal. According to them, the coalition is "launching a program for private health insurance". Clear criticism was expressed by the head of the AOK Rheinland-Hamburg, Wilfried Jacobs. The abolition or legal restriction of the elective rates in private health insurance is a "clientele policy par excellence".

Meanwhile, the Federal Government confirmed its intention. As part of the health care reform should be held restrictions on the election rates. Here it was found that a general abolition of eligibility will not exist. One would rather "clarify" the task of the legal as well as the private health insurance. This means that essential electoral tariffs, which are mainly used by "good earners" should be abolished in the legal. By the abolishment of the foreign health insurance one wants to favor also the private ones, so that their policy sales rates increase.

The project of the Federal Minister of Health is also criticized by the opposition. So criticized the SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach, the reforms are one-sided. The private insurance is in favor of the private before dividing, so Lauterbach. By the planned facilitation of the change from the legal into the private health insurance the SPD politician fears a "further solidarity in the health system". For better-earners do not have to wait three years from January 2011 until they can switch to private health insurance, but only one year. Moreover, those affected only have to exceed the minimum income threshold in a single month in order to switch to the private sector. The minimum income is currently at 4162.50 euros gross to change.

Of course, the private insurers will find the planned changes in the law good. For example, the head of private health insurance, Volker Leinenbach, said that statutory health insurance funds should focus on health services that are necessary for medical care. For, according to Leinenbach, the health insurances would enter into direct competition with private health insurance with their optional tariffs and additional offers. Of course, this displeases the private and the private health insurance association sees no need for this. Supplementary insurance is the business of the private and not the legal. The projects of the Minister of Health Rösler should be decided in September in the Cabinet and implemented from January 2011. (Sb)

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Black and yellow wants to pull good earners in the private health insurance
Social association: additional contributions have to go

Picture credits: Andreas Morlok /Pixelio.de