Gröhe exerts strong criticism of PKV lock offers

Federal Health Minister criticizes lock offers of private health insurance

06/05/2014

The Federal Minister of Health Hermann Gröhe (CDU) has highlighted at the annual meeting of the Association of Private Health Insurance the benefits of competition between private and statutory health insurance, but at the same time expressed clear criticism of the cheap and Einsteigertarife the private health insurance.

With the cheap and Einsteigertarife people might be lured, „which would be better off in the system of statutory health insurance“, quotes the health news magazine „Pharmacy adhoc“ the Federal Minister of Health. This would sometimes raise expectations that insurers can not fulfill permanently. The result is regular complaints from insured persons who can not pay their premiums. In addition, the person affected „A change of tariffs - ie the change within the company into a cheaper tariff - not exactly made easy.“ Gröhe emphasized that he had the impression that older insured persons with a small pension in particular are increasingly affected. According to the minister, the legal framework for financially weak private insured persons should be applied here in the interest of the insured.

Advantages of the competition?
In spite of the criticism voiced, the Federal Minister of Health, Hermann Mann Gröhe, at the annual meeting of the private health insurance association, explained that competition between the private and statutory health insurance companies was a priority le for all citizens. The dual system has proven itself in principle and systemic competition makes a decisive contribution to the good medical care of all citizens. Without the private health insurance, the statutory health insurance would be less under pressure to offer new services and services.

Law on improving the financial structure decided
In order to secure the range of services offered by the statutory health insurance funds, the German Bundestag today also has the „Law for the further development of the financial structure and quality in the statutory health insurance“ which, however, still requires the approval of the Bundesrat. In a recent press release, the Federal Minister of Health, Hermann Gröhe, explained that our society is getting older and older and as a result health care spending is rising in the long term. The adopted law should the „Sustainably consolidate the financial structure of the statutory health insurance.“With regard to long-term care insurance, Gröhe explained at the annual meeting of the private health insurance association that this compulsory insurance was always intended only as part of a personal insurance policy, and „if you want to have all-round care, you also have to pay extra“ got to.

Private care insurance with benefits?
The re-elected chairman of the private health insurance association, Uwe Laue, said to the nursing care insurance that the planned introduction of the long-term care fund would not solve the financial problem because the volume of funds to be invested was too small. For comparison, he mentioned the figures for the planned reserves in the GKV and PKV. Thus, for private nursing care insurance, about nine million insured persons are to be provided with annual retirement provisions amounting to around 1.5 billion euros, while in statutory long-term care insurance with around 70 million insured persons only about 1.2 billion euros are to be covered.

Improve medical care
At the annual meeting of the Association of Private Health Insurance, the Federal Minister of Health also addressed medical care as a further topic. Here, the fee structure should be adjusted as soon as possible and a model developed to secure nationwide coverage. Doctors should be offered further incentives for a rural establishment. In addition, more flexible regulatory frameworks are required and hospitals should be involved in outpatient care where appropriate. (Fp)