Hartz IV health insurance companies require additional contribution

Six health insurance companies change their statutes: Hartz IV recipients are obliged to pay additional contributions.

24.01.2011

Some health insurance companies charge additional contributions from Hartz IV recipients, although the Federal Government has decided in the context of the health care reform to grant a general exemption for the additional social assistance or Hartz IV benefits. This is made possible by a change in the statutes of the funds.

Actually, Hartz IV recipients should be exempted from the additional contributions. Especially for this, the black-yellow coalition initiated a change in the law as part of health care reform on the way. But now everything seems different. Because the health insurance companies are allowed to make a change of the statutes. In fact, some health insurance companies plan to make just that amendment to the statute, in order to collect the additional contribution even with poor people. This was confirmed by a spokesman of the Central Association of Statutory Health Insurance (GKV) to Stiftung Warentest in Berlin.

Since the entry into force of the health care reform, each health insurance company is free to determine the amount of the additional contributions itself. However, due to the decision to increase the regular contribution rate to 15.5 percent, only very few funds need to demand an additional lump-sum contribution. According to the latest findings, 13 health insurance companies are currently calling for an additional contribution, despite the increase in the contribution rate, including the large alternative health insurance fund Deutsche Angestellten Krankenkasse (DAK)..

Social equalization does not apply to changes to the statutes
The created health fund should serve to take over the average additional contribution for Hartz IV recipients. The average amount, however, is calculated from the average additional contributions of all health insurances. However, since only 13 funds currently charge an additional contribution, the arithmetical additional contribution is zero euros. Thus, if the actual additional contribution is higher than the average, the difference must be borne by the fund. Unless the insured person's health insurance changes their statutes and demands the difference from the insured person. Since the average additional flat-rate contribution is zero euros, Hartz IV recipients must pay the entire additional contribution if the respective amendment to the statutes changes. How many people are now affected by this could not quantify the GKV spokesman. In plain language, this means that the social security promised by the federal government for recipients of unemployment benefit II does not apply, at least this year.

13 health insurance companies charge additional contribution
According to Stiftung Warentest, out of the 13 funds that levy an additional contribution, a total of six health insurance companies have decided to change their statutes and request additional contributions from Hartz IV recipients. After recent judgments, recipients of social benefits can not claim these costs from the service provider. The Job Centers are of the opinion that those affected can change the health insurance in order to avoid the additional amounts. However, the special right of termination does not apply to a change in the statute. The right to special termination only applies if the health insurance company requires an additional contribution for the first time or increases it further. DAK is the third largest health insurance company in Germany with around 4.7 million members. It can be assumed that several thousand sometimes tens of thousands of people in Hartz IV are affected by additional contributions despite social compensation. According to previously unconfirmed information, the DAK wants to change the statutes.

Affected remains only regular notice
The affected person thus has no choice but to pay the additional contribution of unemployment benefit II benefits. Only a regular termination of the health insurance is possible. The notice period is two months to the end of the month. If the cash register is changed, you are bound for at least 18 months and can only switch back to another health insurance. Unless, within the 18 months, the fund raises a new additional contribution or increases existing. Then the special right of termination applies. (Sb)

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