Cash mergers endanger the health system

Gefärden health insurance mergers the health system?

(07.08.2010) Due to the financial pressure, more and more public health insurance companies plan mergers with other health insurances. But in the opinion of cash experts, mergers between large health insurance companies could jeopardize the entire health system. In addition, the chairman of the Federal Association of Guild Health Insurance, Rolf Stuppardt doubts that the mergers of the health insurance companies could achieve the health economic goals.

In the opinion of the "Frankfurter Rundschau", mergers of the large health insurance companies could lead to serious consequences of competing smaller funds. If a health insurance company falls into the situation of insolvency, the other funds must take in the insured. The collapse of a health insurance company, which has become larger as a result of a merger, thus affects the entire healthcare system. This is particularly true when two health insurance companies merge, but both funds are almost broke and can not get along with the funds from the health fund.

The head of the guards insurances Rolf Stuppardt accused the health insurance, they wanted to secure similar to the banks in the protection of the state. For if a health insurance company has become so large due to a merger, this means a serious risk to the healthcare system in the event of a collapse. Thus Stuppardt told the "FR": "It is individual health insurance companies to reach a sufficient power, so that in case of bankruptcy the call for the state is heard." If such a health insurance fund goes into insolvency, the state would very probably have to step in, otherwise too many health insurance would have to change and the other health insurances would also be in an emergency. The costs would then be relatively larger, so that the state would have to step in. (Sb)

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