Experts additional contributions of health insurance from 2013

Experts expect additional contributions from 2013

06/21/2012

From 2013 or 2014, according to experts come to the statutory health insurance new additional contributions. Nevertheless, the Federal Ministry of Health demands from the health insurance companies in the face of record surpluses, an early payment of premiums to the insured. „At least partial amounts are to be paid“, warned the Federal Minister of Health Daniel Bahr at the beginning of the week. The coffers want to partially improve the range of services and for „bad times“ retirement planning. The funds are supported by the Council of Experts. They urge prudence and speak of a current exceptional situation. After all, cash contributions would rise again in two to three years. The first additional contributions could already be reality in 2013. „In the second half of the year 2013 or 2014, a large part of the health insurance companies will again raise additional contributions“, said the chairman of the Expert Council for Health, Eberhard Wille.

Record surpluses like never before
Never before has the financial situation of the health insurance companies been as good as it is today. Thanks to excellent discount agreements with pharmaceutical manufacturers and increases in health insurance contributions, statutory health insurance was able to save around 20 billion euros. In the first quarter of 2012 they were able to increase the financial cushion once again to 11 billion euros, as a spokesman for the Ministry of Health on Wednesday said. In addition, there is a reserve of about 8.5 billion euros in the health fund. Bahr therefore calls on the coffers to pay a portion of the additional revenue to the approximately 70 million members of the cash register. The health insurance companies could choose whether they „rather pay premiums or their own health services“ improve. A premium payment but reject all coffers.

„Some funds exceed the statutory amount of reserves“ explained the ministry. "At present, however, only about ten predominantly smaller health insurances with around 700,000 insured members allow their members to participate in their positive financial development through premiums." Everyone else keeps the money.

At the end of last year, the cash reserves were still around 10 billion euros. The health fund accumulated another 9.5 billion euros. In the first quarter of the new year, the funds were able to achieve another 1.5 billion more revenue. That's under average 500 million euros more. The surpluses were able to manage most funds with low expenditure of approximately 46 billion euro. Although spending per member of the board rose by an average of 3.5 percent, in 2011 statisticians forecast a rise in spending of around 4.5 percent in 2012. Most health insurances were also able to achieve very good deals with pharmaceutical producers, and the good economic situation in the last year resulted in fewer unemployed and more fully paid insured. Although the surpluses would be lower in the current year, the Federal Ministry of Health also expects additional revenue from the full-year financial statements if the financial development remains unchanged.

Health insurance companies want to save money for bad times
The federal chairman of the top-Kassenverbandes GKV, Doris Pfeiffer, dismissed the demands of the Minister of Health. "We want these reserves to be secured and used for the future care of patients." Finally, the concept of the funds is different than in the private health insurance. The surpluses are not distributed to shareholders, but benefit the insured in order to keep contributions stable. „Every euro remains with the insured“. For example, the unpopular additional contributions could currently be avoided, Pfeiffer said.

Experts: soon additional contributions
Schützenhilfe get the cash on the part of the Expert Council. The health system experts do not share the positive outlook of the federal government. Despite the billions in surplus, cash patients have to adjust to additional contributions and premium increases in the future. They assume that as of mid-2013 or 2014 at the latest, the majority of health insurance companies will have to reintroduce the additional contribution, as the chairman of the health experts' council, Eberhard Wille in Berlin said. The record surpluses are according to his information a „temporary appearance that will no longer endure“.

Billions only snapshot
The increase in revenue is mainly due to the contribution adjustments. The black-yellow federal government had raised the regular contribution rate to 15.5 percent as part of health care reform. At that time, the government had not assumed such a positive development of the economy. If you look at the development of premium income from the past few years, you will see that this development will not last long. On acceptance of the opinion, Minister Bahr was also more reluctant and acknowledged that the financial position of the „different funds would be different“. While some would have used up the statutory reserves, others would have gained a big cushion. (Sb)

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