Claim cash-flow transparency with additional contributions

Coalition calls for more transparency of funds for additional contributions

06/04/2014

In the future, the health insurance companies should be obliged to increase transparency when levying additional contributions. However, the Grand Coalition's plans are criticized by the coffers. „There is no question that members of the cash register must also be informed about increases in contributions in the future and that there will then continue to be a special right of termination“, said the spokesman for the GKV-Spitzenverbands, Florian Lanz. „A good health insurance can be found not only on the price, but on the right balance of price and performance“.

Cash registers should inform the insured in the future on their special right of termination
In the GKV-Finanzstrukturgesetz, which is planned by the Union and the SPD, it should be stipulated that health insurance companies must, in the future, pay their members a maximum of one month in advance for their special right of termination if they levy additional contributions. If the additional fee is higher than the average additional contribution of all funds, the members must also be made aware of their right to switch to a low-cost health insurance. For this, the GKV-Spitzenverband wants to publish an overview on the Internet, in which all funds are listed with the current additional contributions.

The coalition continues to demand that the funds inform in a special letter about the additional contributions. „General information in the member magazine of the health insurance is not sufficient to fulfill the obligation to inform“, as stated in the amendment.

The coffers show little enthusiasm for the transparency plans of the coalition. „In no other industry is there a legal obligation to point to a cheaper competitor“, so Lanz. „This obligation threatens to reduce health insurance to the aspect of 'cheap' - which does not do justice to the issue of health care. That would be a wrong signal for the discussion about the necessary quality improvements in patient care.“ The head of the association of alternative health insurance, Ulrike Elsner, fears that the insured could be greatly disturbed by such a letter and could be encouraged to change the health insurance. From „Transparency and consumer protection“ spoke against it the CDU health expert Jens Spahn. „In the future, we want price competition among the health insurances“, he said to the newspaper „Rheinische Post“.

With the GKV-Finanzstrukturgesetz, which is to come into force at the beginning of 2015, the coalition wants to change the financing of the funds. Employers and employees should then each pay 7.3 percent. While the employer's share remains stable, the funds can demand additional contributions from the insured if the money is insufficient. The cash registers thus get back their contribution autonomy. (Ag)