The health care reform comes into force

The health care reform comes into force: at the beginning of the year, many aspects of the healthcare system are changing

03/01/2011

With the turn of the year also enters the health reform of the black and yellow federal government in force. With the reform in the health system, numerous points for statutory health insurance, doctors and health insurance change.

Contribution increase of the legal health insurance companies
The most important point for the citizens is the contribution increase of the legal health insurance. The contribution rate has increased from 14.9 to 15.5 percent. This increase will be borne equally by employees and employers. The special feature: any further adaptation of the contributions will be borne by the employees in the future alone. This means that the federal government has suspended the parity system. Overall, the health insurance companies expect additional revenue of about six billion euros. The increase in the contribution rate will largely replenish the forecasted deficit of the funds. Example: With a total gross salary of € 2,000, employees now have to pay € 164 instead of € 158 a month.

Additional contributions: The amount will be determined by the health insurances in future
The second additional income of the funds is the additional contributions. From now on, the health insurance funds can determine the amount of the additional contributions themselves. This eliminates the so-called „One-percent rule“. The additional contributions are charged in addition to the contributions. Most health insurance companies have announced that they want to forego additional contributions this year. However, many health economists already anticipate that in a few years, almost every health insurance fund will make an additional contribution. This is due, on the one hand, to demographic change and, on the other, to the rising costs of health services and pharmaceuticals. The additional contributions are levied irrespective of the employee's income or voluntarily insured persons.

Social compensation for low income groups
Low income groups can expect social compensation. However, this compensation is so complicated and narrow, so that only a few can actually make use of it. Health insured persons, who have to pay more than two percent of their average gross income per month for an additional contribution, receive a so-called social compensation from the federal government. However, the amount of the compensation is based on the amount of the additional contribution levied on the average of all funds. And only this difference is then paid to the person concerned. If the individual subsidy is higher then the insured person has to pay the difference out of his own pocket. If the additional contribution is below the average of all, then the affected person benefits and receives a higher compensation from the taxpayer. This means, conversely, that from next year all insured persons have to follow almost daily, how high the individual additional contributions of the funds are, in order to be able to change accordingly. Those who are pensioners, chronically ill or not flexible enough to change, is disadvantaged - the additional contribution and social security.

Hartz IV recipients are exempted from the additional contributions
For Hartz IV recipients, the additional contribution will no longer apply. Unemployment benefit I recipients and retirees, on the other hand, will continue to pay the additional contributions. Here only the mentioned social compensation comes into its own. 16 health insurance companies are currently making an additional contribution. As a rule, a lump sum of eight euros per month is required. If a health insurance company raises an additional contribution, then cash register members can exercise their special right of termination. The health insurance companies are obliged to inform the insured in good time. Within six weeks of the announcement can be changed.

Savings in the health system
In order to limit the rising expenditure in the healthcare sector, around 3.5 billion euros will be saved this year in doctors' fees, hospitals and the pharmaceutical industry. Together with the contribution increase, the deficit in the health fund should be removed.

Change to private health insurance
In the sense of private health insurance, the Federal Government has made the access requirements for employees considerably easier. The „Three-Year Rule“ was in favor of one „One-year period“ replaced. Employees only have to earn more than € 49,500 gross in one year to be able to switch to private health insurance. However, numerous associations and consumer centers advise caution. For those who have once switched to private health insurance, the way back into the statutory health insurance is denied. The PKV, for example, does not know family reinsurance, so family members like children have to be insured individually in the private health insurance. Before citizens switch, they should seek advice from an independent consumer center. Insurance brokers are often anxious to sell expensive private health insurances for their own benefit.

The state wants to contribute less
The federal government will contribute a little less to the health fund this year. The share of the federal subsidy will fall in 2011 from 15.7 to 15.3 billion euros. Actually, the Federal Ministry of Health had planned to reduce the tax subsidy to 13 billion euros. The now higher targeted amount is to secure the social compensation until 2015. (Sb)

Also read:
From 2011: Higher health costs
Health insurance: In the future 100 Euro additional contribution?

Image: Verena N..