Experts call for abolition of private health insurance

Bertelsmann Stiftung and consumer advocates recommend the abolition of private health insurance

14/05/2013

The Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv) are calling for a reform of health insurance. The idea: Statutory health insurance (GKV) and private (PKV) health insurance are being merged into a new form of insurance that will be funded by contributions from employees, employers and taxpayers, according to the latest press release from the Bertelsmann Stiftung.

Greater equity and efficiency by merging health insurance
In the opinion of the two organizations, a combination of the previous insurance policies is necessary to make health insurance generally fairer and more efficient, because "the splitting of health insurance is inefficient and problematic for the self-employed and low-paid“, moreover „According to Bertelsmann Foundation CEO, Aart De Geus, Germany is the last country in the world where this model exists. "According to Gerd Billen, head of the consumer association Bundesverband, this is the time for integrated health insurance that would take into account the interests of all : „Especially privately insured currently have to reckon with higher contributions“ - Therefore the expert must now be acted on the part of politicians: „Health policy must take a directional decision in the coming legislature for the integration of statutory health insurance and private health insurance so that all stakeholders know where the journey is going“, Gerd Billen continues.

Ten-point plan presented for concrete implementation
With regard to the concrete implementation of the demand, the two organizations now have one „Ten-point plan for integrated health insurance“ These include, for example, the approximation of medical compensation and compulsory insurance for self-employed and civil servants, whereby a staggering of health insurance premiums by age or individual health risk should be ruled out in the future. Instead, according to the ten-point plan, "all health insurance providers [...] should be freely selectable by all insured persons." The contributions should thereby reflect the performance of the insured, "said the demand of Gerd Billen - accordingly, the financing of the new health insurance from sight The two organizations consist of three pillars: Employees, Employers and Taxes.

Criticism from the Association of Private Health Insurance
But the call for a uniform health insurance does not meet everywhere approval - instead, the Association of Private Health Insurance (PKV) directly against the demand. According to the PKV association leader Volker Leienbach „on the 10-point plan [...] easily 10 times 10 points entitled to criticize“, because Germany has „one of the best health systems worldwide. All insured persons - legal and private - have access to a nationwide network of doctors and clinicians, clinics and pharmacies“, so the current press release of the association. According to Leienbach's opinion, the 10-point plan is therefore „a fiction“, in which the people - insured persons, doctors, employees and civil servants - are pushed to and fro“ in fact „without justification and certainly not for the best“, because it should be remembered that in the countries with a uniform insurance system "serious inequalities, rationing and a purse" would exist. According to Volker Leienbach, the existing health care system should not be endangered by "groundless radical operations" - after all, the satisfaction of people shows the reality: „According to a recent Allensbach survey, 82 percent think that our healthcare is good or even very good. Private insured persons are even more than 90 percent satisfied with their medical care“, so the PKV association boss. (No)

Picture: Gerd Altmann