Hartz IV bill rescuing the PKV?

Is the Federal Government planning new rescue packages for private health insurance? Hartz IV recipients, who are insured in private health insurance, should be forced into the statutory health insurance. Politicians and health insurance companies criticize the considerations of the Federal Ministry of Labor.

26.11.2010

The latest plans of the Federal Government are despite denials on the table: The black-yellow coalition wants to force in favor of the private health insurer Hartz IV recipients in the statutory health insurance or force the PKV to offer a tariff specifically for Hartz IV recipients. Many politicians are calling for financing the shortfall in tax revenues. The health insurance companies were outraged and also demand compensation for the shortfall from the state.

Numerous politicians and representatives of the cash office suspect behind the renewed plans a rescue operation in favor of the private health insurance. Background of the debate is a bill proposed by the Federal Ministry of Labor. This text - which is already available to numerous agencies - deals with the financing of health insurance for persons receiving benefits under SGB II (Hartz IV). The employment agencies only assume the cost share of the statutory health insurance. This is at 126 euros a month. The half maximum rate of PKV is on average, depending on the tariff 290 euros. The difference must pay recipients of social benefits from the benefits themselves. However, numerous social courts have clearly rejected this practice and have ruled that the costs of a basic tariff must be borne by the Argen.

In January, the Federal Social Court in Kassel will judge. Therefore, the Federal Ministry of Labor is now now prompted to draft a bill. In the draft, two variants are favored. One of them says that the private health insurance company should be obliged to offer a basic tariff for Hartz IV recipients whose contribution amount is similar to the capped SHI tariff. In the second variant it is suggested to oblige Hartz IV recipients to change to the statutory health insurance. The health insurance funds should be taken on their part in the obligation to accept former PKV insured.

Politics in favor of private health insurance?
In both variants, the federal government is once again under suspicion to operate a clientele policy in favor of private health insurance. First, the conditions of access for the exchange of good earners in the private health insurance were facilitated, now Hartz IV recipients to change to the SHI are forced. Such a regulation meets with the representatives of the health insurance on little understanding. So said the spokesman of the Association of statutory health insurance, Florian Lanz: „One could almost get the impression that this should be the next support measure for private health insurance suffering from premium increases.“

But the problem as such has to be rectified. Many Hartz IV sufferers no longer know how to escape the cost trap. Thousands can not pay their bills now, because the low standard rate of 359 euros for contributions by private health insurance are no longer sufficient. By the end of the year, the contribution arrears will, according to experts, have increased to 400 million euros. That is why the association of private health insurers also joined in the ongoing discussion. Their boss, Volker Leienbach, calls instead of the proposed variants a full takeover of the premiums by the employment agencies. These demands could also be confirmed by the expected in January judgment of the Federal Social Court. According to estimates by health economists, this would cost the taxpayer about 20 million euros annually. Actually not a high sum. But politicians now fear that in such a scheme, the statutory health insurance storm and also claim the full cost share for health insurance. This, in turn, can lead to annual costs of around 200 million euros.

However, the Federal Government does not want to raise such a sum. Therefore, this variant is not formulated in the draft. For the state budget, it would therefore be better to push long-term unemployed into the statutory funds. Such a measure would significantly relieve the PKV system. The victims of this regulation would end up being the members of the statutory health insurance funds. According to the GKV Verband, the health insurances would already raise a subsidy of 60 euros for each Hartz IV recipient. If the affected Hartz IV recipients were now forced into the GKV, the additional cost share would skyrocket. Increasing contributions in the form of additional contributions could be the result. Therefore, the GKV spokesman called on the legislature to, even for Hartz IV recipients „expenditure-covering contributions“ to pay to the health insurance companies.

The general local health insurance funds (AOK) ruled particularly sharply on the bill. „The statutory health insurance may not be abused by the policy as a rescue fund for private health insurance“, said the deputy chairman of the board of the AOK Federal Association, Jürgen Graalmann. Here one finally demands justice. Either the private health insurance must cover the shortfall in unemployment benefit II recipients, or „The health insurance companies also get a higher subsidy for Hartz IV recipients, as private health insurance demands.“

In the Federal Ministry of Labor, efforts are made to keep the matter low. A spokesman denied that there is already a complete bill. One would currently speak with the Federal Ministry of Health about a uniform regulation. (Sb)

Also read:
GKV relocation of Hartz IV recipients?
Arge has to pay at Hartz IV PKV contributions
Acquisition of PKV contributions for Hartz IV recipients

Picture credits: uschi trio