Health insurance premium increases will come

Despite the good economy, increases in contributions from the statutory health insurance companies can not be avoided. The AOK continues to forecast a deficit of around € 11 billion in the health fund.

(10.09.2010) According to the chairman of the AOK Federal Association, Herbert Reichelt, increases in contributions to the statutory health insurance funds are inevitable despite the good economic situation in Germany. The planned contribution increase at the coffers was still urgently needed, so the boss of the AOK federal association. The amounts are to increase in cash patients from January 2011 to 15.5 percent. Even the unloved additional contributions will be in some coffers in 2011.

The economy seems to have recovered from the global financial crisis. There are fewer and fewer unemployed and exports are boosted again. But at the health insurance funds are still empty the cash. Nevertheless, the planned increase in cash contributions to 15.5 percent is urgently needed, because despite economic growth, the health system in 2011 is missing about 11 billion euros, argued AOK boss Reichelt. Because a boom in the economy is noticeable only after major delays in health insurance. "At the moment everyone assumes that these eleven billion are realistic," said the head of the AOK. Exact numbers will submit the cash in the coming week.

Despite good economic situation, contribution increases in the health insurance companies
Due to the billions deficit in the health fund, a contribution increase by 0.6 percentage points must be made in any case. The increase brings namely the cashes a total of about six billion euros more revenue. "The contribution increase can not be avoided at the moment," said Reichelt. "Otherwise you would have had to take countermeasures earlier and introduce cost-control measures earlier." The alternative would be additional contributions to all funds, argued the AOK federal chairman. By raising the cash contributions, however, such additional contributions are avoided on a broad front.

Citizens disagree with plans for health care reform
The contribution increases are to be completed in the course of the planned health care reform. The citizens do not seem to agree with the health care reform at all. According to a survey submitted by the Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse (AOK), more than one in two Germans reject the government's plans for health services. For the insured persons are entitled to higher health care costs. In addition, the Federal Ministry of Health plans to strengthen the private health insurance significantly - and at the expense of the statutory health insurance. In addition, numerous health insurance companies demand so-called additional contributions from their members. From 2011, the amount of additional contributions should also be determined by the health insurance companies themselves. In plain language this means that the health costs of citizens will be much higher.

Criticism of the planned changes also comes from the ranks of the federal government. Also the CSU does not agree with numerous changes. Again and again, there was a dispute within the coalition. Also, the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and the German Hospital Society are running at least against some aspects of the reform storm.

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Federal Health Minister Philipp Rösler adheres to the plans of the reform.
But the Federal Minister of Health Philipp Rösler (FDP) wants to stay with his plans and can not be confused in the course. "It remains with what the party leaders and leaders of the coalition coalition with the Federal Ministry of Health on the way," said the Minister to the "Süddeutsche Zeitung". Despite the clear criticism from the side of the CSU want to hold any further meetings with coalition party and group leaders. Rösler made it clear that he wants to stick to the desired system change in financing in the healthcare sector and the planned additional contributions.

However, the survey results of the AOK show clearly that Rösler by no means has the majority of citizens behind him. Again and again new details of health care reform are known. The path shows in almost all innovation plans in the privatization of health care. For this reason, more and more people are skeptical of the policy of the Federal Minister of Health. As before, the additional contributions to the people on skepticism. According to a study by the Scientific Institute of the AOK (WidO), a total of 57.1 percent of the plans for health care reform were bad or even very bad. Only a small proportion of the respondents, 11.9 percent, find the plans for the reform good or very good. 35.2 percent could not quite decide and find the health reform partly good, sometimes bad.

Relative satisfaction with the current healthcare system
Overall, there is a relative satisfaction with the health system. 29.3 percent of respondents are satisfied or very satisfied with the system. About the same number, 29.8 percent, are dissatisfied overall. 39.5 percent answered "partly satisfied, some dissatisfied" with this question. 31.9 percent said personal health insurance had deteriorated in recent years, 56.1 percent could not see any worsening or improvement. However, 59.3 percent expect that the health care offer of health insurance companies will decrease in the future.

Unnecessary treatments at the doctor?
In addition, the AOK survey asked about the satisfaction with doctor visits. 82.5 percent said that they are basically satisfied with the treatment at the doctor. But one in ten believes that some treatments and examinations were unnecessary. In the case of the cash-desk patients, 8.1 percent believed that they would need an unnecessary examination, and 17.5 percent among the private health insurance companies. In addition one must know that examinations of private patients bring in principle a higher fee.

On average, one in five patients said they believed, did not undergo thorough medical evaluation, were not included in treatment decisions, and were not informed about alternative treatment options. Another 24.1 percent said that the physician had not thoroughly investigated all possible causes of the health problem. Nevertheless, the majority (92.1 percent) have confidence in the attending physician. 88.1 percent of respondents also said they had an appointment quickly enough. 29.5 said the waiting time was too long. As part of the study, 3000 citizens were interviewed by the scientific institute of the AOK. (Sb)

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