Health insurance companies want to improve

City BKK scandal: The boards of the health insurance promised improvement

19/05/2011

The boards of the health insurance promised improvement. After the federal government today had threatened the health insurance massively, the health insurances now want to take all insured of the company health insurance company City BKK closing on 1 July without hesitation. For particularly difficult to mediate members to a specially established „Task force“ be used. "In order to ensure a smooth process, additional advisory sites will be set up, the number of consultants in the service centers and hotlines will be increased and the opening hours extended." The goal was to insure as many of the 167,000 City BKK members as possible as soon as possible and, if possible, to send health insurance cards within six weeks. At a meeting in Berlin praised the cash desk bosses „improvement“. In a joint statement, the board emphasized that the insurers would have the freedom to choose a suitable health insurance. No request from a compulsory insured may be rejected by a fund.

Federal government increased pressure on treasurers
In the morning, the coalition and the Federal Minister of Health Daniel Bahr (FDP) had increased the pressure on the coffers. The newly acting minister had given the coffers an ultimatum. By the end of the week, the problems should be solved. If the health insurance companies are not in a position to act, the policy will be discussed in the coming week on far-reaching consequences, Bahr had let announce later in the day. In the last consequence, so Bahr, one would take the cash advices by the law personally in the liability.

In recent weeks, reports have been made by rejected City BKK members. Already on the phone had service employees of some health insurance tried to elude the request with threadbare arguments. The reason for this are the mainly elderly and chronically ill insured persons. Before the insurance costs seem to shy some cash. A refusal is unlawful. No insured person may be rejected because of his or her state of health or old age.

Non-binding declaration of intent by the chief treasurer?
The patient organization German hospice foundation criticized the announcements of the cash registers as „non-binding declaration of intent“. „People in need of care do not find it helpful to give them advice or sample letters when they close their health insurance fund or refuse another health fund: they need active support“, said Managing Director Eugen Brysch. For critically ill people it is crucial that they are not rejected by any health insurance fund. In order for this does not happen from now on, a coherent concept on the part of the health insurance boards must be developed. Until then, the telephone of the patient organization is still unlocked: Tel. 030/2 84 44 842. Affected may contact the hotline, for example, if the care level is allegedly redetermined or a health insurance denied the application. According to the Federal Insurance Office in Berlin, so far around 40,000 former members of City BKK have found a new fund. 128,000 are still searching. (Sb)