GKV relocation of Hartz IV recipients?

It is possible that the Federal Ministry of Labor Hartz IV plans beneficiaries who are in private health insurance (PKV), compulsorily in the statutory health insurance (SHI) „to relocate“. Corresponding media reports were rejected by the Ministry of Labor. However, the bill already exists.

21.10.2010. The fact is, however, that the Federal Minister of Labor Ursula von der Leyen apparently plans a change in the law in matters of private health insurance and Hartz IV. Background of these considerations are the private health insurance contributions, which are hardly to be financed by the persons concerned. Many, mainly former self-employed in unemployment benefit II reference, have to settle the difference to the GKV contribution from the rule rate itself. A single adult receives 359 euros a month. The half maximum rate of a private health insurance is however 290 euro. The employment agencies only pay a contribution of no more than € 126 a month. This amount reflects the insurance contribution of the statutory health insurance companies. As the „Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ)“ reported today, the Ministry of Labor plans a compulsory „resettlement“ Of the approximately 6,100 affected persons who are insured in private health insurance. These are to change by a change of law in the GKV. As an alternative, it is suggested that the PKV contribution of ALG II recipients should be limited to 126 euros per month. The difference should then be taken over by the private health insurance company. This results in a non-financing of around 20 million euros per year.

Federal Ministry of Labor denies
On request of „Doctors newspaper“ However, such measures have been denied. Currently, such amendments would not exist, as the Federal Ministry of Labor announced. However, it is true that negotiations are currently taking place with the Ministry of Health. Corresponding solutions are not yet foreseeable, as a speaker emphasized.

No wonder, because the plans meet with strong resistance within the coalition. The health political spokesman of the Union faction, Jens Spahn (CDU) said today: "It can not be that we push the problem cases into the GKV". Rather, the real problem in PKV must be solved. For this purpose, Spahn proposes to provide tax funds for this purpose. This position was also joined by the Deputy Group Chairman of the FDP, Ulrike Flach. The shortfall must be taken over by the state and not be passed on to private health insurance.

Draft of legislative amendments available
According to the news agency „Reuters“ There is indeed a draft that discusses two amendments. In the one model, Hartz IV recipients are to make their way into the GKV by changing the law. In the second variant, the providers of private insurance are to be forced to insure long-term unemployed to the contribution rate of the SHI.

Already next week, a bill in the Bundestag is to be adopted. The time until then is so short. Therefore, the FDP politician flat and CDU health expert Spahn suggest that the employment agencies should take over the difference by law. The amount due (around 20 million euros per year) is to be financed from tax credits.

PKV association and opposition criticize plans
The Association of Private Health Insurance criticized the plans of the Ministry of Labor as „completely unacceptable“. The state should not deport its duties of care to third parties. The leader of the private health insurance association, Volker Leienbach, said that the legislator should repair the shortfall "as soon as possible by reimbursing full health insurance contributions". For that, let's say the state is responsible.

The project was also criticized by the health expert of the Greens, Birgitt Bender. Instead of the planned measures, it would make sense to create a uniform insurance contribution for Hartz IV recipients, regardless of whether they are covered by health insurance in statutory health insurance or in private health insurance. A "further subsidization of private health insurance for identical benefits" would be "not justified", as the politician emphasized. Criticism came also from the legal health insurance companies. For example, the head of the KKH alliance Ingo Kailuweit condemned the plans as „cheap sleight-of-hand tricks“. Such measures lead to a renewed „railway yard“. The subsidy payments from the job center for Hartz IV recipients are already far too low. The health insurance companies would have to pay about four million euro contribution losses annually by the three million GKV health insurance in the ALG II relation.

The DGB warned that the federal government should finally start financing the shortfall. For example, union member Annelie Buntenbach said in Berlin: „The contributions to the health insurance of Hartz IV recipients amounting to 126 euros are arbitrarily set and clearly too low, because they cover neither the average per capita spending of the statutory health insurance nor the amount of the base rate in the private health insurance (PKV)“. Because of the insufficient financing unjustified additional burdens arise for the public health insurance. (Sb)

Also read:
Arge has to pay at Hartz IV PKV contributions
Acquisition of PKV contributions for Hartz IV recipients
Contribution increases of the private health insurance companies
No takeover of additional contributions by Hartz IV
PKV base rate for ALG II recipients

Picture: Dr. Klaus-Uwe Gerhardt