Health insurance Soon a federal AOK?

Health insurance: Soon a federal AOK?

07/22/2012

In an interview with the Rheinische Post (RP), the new chairman of the recently merged AOK Rheinland / Hamburg, Günter Wältermann, beats a nationwide rating „General local health insurance AOK“ in front. All health insurance companies in the network should not only form a merger with each other but a merger for the whole of Germany. As a result, the market position of the individual funds could be significantly strengthened.

More scope for negotiation with a federal AOK
In the medium term „It would be a big hit, if all eleven AOK-Kassen would be combined to an AOK for all Germany“. Because „A federal AOK would create a common roof for 24 million insured. The regionality, however, would be preserved“, this is the vision of the chief of sales. A federal AOK could hold its own better on the cash register market and the scope for negotiation with pharmaceutical manufacturers, clinics and doctors would improve enormously. „Such a merger would have many design options for pharmaceutical manufacturers, hospitals and doctors. For the same money more services could be purchased.“ Ultimately, this scope would also benefit the insured.

The largest statutory health insurance in Germany is currently the Barmer GEK me about 8.6 million insured. If a federal AOK were to emerge, the fund with about 24 million insured persons would be by far the largest contributor. Günther Wältermann has been the head of the AOK Rheinland / Hamburg since the beginning of July 2012. Since the merger, it is the largest statutory health insurance in North Rhine-Westphalia with 2.9 million members. (Sb)