Health insurance Will contributions be increased again?

The Techniker health insurance expects further contribution increases with the health insurance companies.

(06.07.2010) The Federal Government has currently decided to increase the contributions to the statutory health insurance to 15.5 percent. In addition, the black-yellow coalition is struggling to justify the additional contributions as well. The head of the Techniker health insurance (TK), however, expects further contributions. The current increases will not be enough to cover the rising costs, so TK boss Norbert Klusen.

From 2011, contributions to the statutory health insurance will increase. But according to the head of the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), Norbert Klusen, the planned increases are not sufficient to cover the rising expenditure of health insurance. If insureds have to adjust to premium increases, new increases may soon follow. Compared to the "Südwest Presse" Klusen says he is "skeptical", whether the additional revenue will be sufficient. Because the "expenses will continue to rise". According to the health insurance chief, the increase in the contribution rate from 14.9 to 15.5 percent is justifiable, the expected doubling of the additional contribution would be useful. But it would be better to "abolish the maximum amount completely via a" tax-financed social compensation "in order to give the health insurance more" sovereignty ".

It would be unfortunate that the increase in premiums would hit hard-earners particularly hard, but that could not be prevented. So the federal government should think about "also employers to participate in the additional burdens." Klusen demanded in the course of this that the health insurance companies should set their contribution rate again. In the course of the health care reform, a uniform premium rate was introduced. "Then we would have full contribution sovereignty again and could face the competition," Klusen argued. (Sb)

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Picture: M. Grossmann