Health politicians The coffers burn money

The health insurance companies continue to reject premiums for insured persons

06/09/2012

The black-yellow coalition calls on the statutory health insurance companies to pay out the billions surpluses to the insured. The health policy spokesman of the CDU, Jens Spahn, throws the cash in an interview with the daily newspaper „world“ before, they would „to burn the money“. Rather, it makes sense to distribute premiums to the cash patients, instead of investing the money in times of low interest rates with loss of value. However, the health insurance companies reject a payment with the argument that they „must make provision for the years to come“.

Dispute over ten billion euros surplus
According to the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV), the funds currently have an additional cushion of a total of 10 billion euros. But this money will „needed to put on a thick cushion for the future years“, so the top association of health insurance. Legislation requires statutory health insurance companies to invest surpluses in secure investments. The legislator specifically stipulated a requirement in the Social Code for this purpose. However, the average interest rate for public bonds in Germany is currently around 1.05 percent for so-called current yields. That's less than the inflation rate, Spahn said.

The European financial crisis points to times of uncertainty. For this reason, the financial cushion for the expected spending increases must remain secured. The chairman of the umbrella association of the GKV Doris Pfeiffer had indeed declared that the cash position „almost no longer“ However, the health insurance companies expect the economic risks in the European area massive increases in the expenditure side with less revenue. According to Pfeiffer, this situation could occur within the next two years. According to it, ten billion euros are not so much as that „it can be thrown out of the window“.

According to its own prognostic analyzes, the Federal Government assumes that the cash surpluses in the current year 2012 could amount to around seven billion euros. Accordingly, the surplus together would rise to about 17 billion euros. Pfeiffer did not want to agree with this prognosis. But it is certain that today's financial assets continue to rise. But the financial means have to be for one „longer-term stability“ be used, so the treasurer.

No profitable investment through cash registers
The health insurance companies do not invest the money profitably, so the criticism of the CDU health politician Spahn. With an interest rate of 1.05 percent and a current inflation rate of 1.9 percent, the funds are losing money. „The health insurance companies burn the surpluses“ so the assessment of the politician. Experts of the cash hold against: „The reserves will be even higher.“

Doctors demand 23,000 euros more per year
Meanwhile, lobbyists' lobbyists demand higher fees. A total of 3.5 billion euros, the doctors want to receive more of the health insurance for their activities this year. Pfeiffer had this demand as „completely unrealistic“ back. That's it „23,000 euros more per doctor and year.“ The doctors would do that, „as if they were on the poverty line, "said the GKV boss to the „Saarbrücken newspaper“. The reality is that medical fees have risen significantly more recently than the salaries of those insured.

When „outlandish“ The head of the association described the intention of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians to set up a web portal on which physicians can evaluate the health insurances. The Federal Association of Panel Doctors had just announced that project. Doctors should evaluate health insurance funds with regard to bureaucratic overtime. Although the health insurance companies, according to Pfeiffer „no problem with being evaluated by doctors, but what should this bring to the patient if he knows that the health insurance company is supposedly asking too much paperwork from the doctor?“. It could also be that the doctor prescribes therapies that require a special documentation requirement. (Sb)

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Picture: Tony Hegewald