Merger planned by BKK Health and DAK

The health insurance companies DAK and BKK Gesundheit have again started negotiations for a merger

24/08/2011

The health insurances BKK health and the German employees health insurance DAK plan again a fusion. As a spokesman for the two health insurance companies announced, initial negotiations have already started. Opposite the news agency „dpa“ the speaker confirmed an article of the „Service for social policy“, which already pointed to the merger intentions.

The health insurance DAK and BKK health re-examine a merger, said a spokesman for both funds on Wednesday. Provided that the initiated negotiations are successful, both boards of directors still want to approve the merger by the end of this year.

Already last year, both funds tried to merge. At that time the negotiations failed surprisingly, because internal committees of the BKK health had spoken against. Both health insurances are regarded as financially ailing and levy for some time in addition to the regular contributions an additional contribution in the amount of 8 euros per month. Not least because of the additional contributions, DAK and BKK Gesundheit lost a substantial share of their members, as they made use of their special right of termination. For example, the number of members of BKK Gesundheit decreased from 1.5 million to about 880,000 members in 2009 (2010). As a result, the BKK health was forced to set up an additional contribution, which again caused violent membership losses. The situation was similar for the DAK, because here too the allocations from the health fund were no longer sufficient. The targeted name could „DAK health“ ring. Already in the first negotiations, the new cash register name was used as a working title.

At the DAK, about 5.8 million people have health insurance, and at BKK Gesundheit almost 800,000. If the talks do not fail like the last time, the „DAK health“ become the third largest health insurance company in Germany behind the Barmer GEK and the Techniker Krankenkasse. In the meantime, the DAK has financially rehabilitated. According to own data, the German employee health insurance in the first quarter of 2011 could generate a surplus of a good 188 million euros. The health insurance company was able to achieve 2010 with a surplus of 60 million euros. The pleasing numbers should be a new argument for BKK health. Whether a merger eliminates the unpopular additional contributions is still questionable. (Sb)

Read about Fusion DAK / BKK Health:
Renewed merger of DAK and BKK Health planned
Crisis mood at the DAK: Staff reduction threatens
DAK also demands an additional contribution in 2011
Merger between DAK and BKK Health failed