Health insurance additional contributions in 2012 the exception

Health insurance: Additional contributions remain the exception in the next year 2012

06/11/2011

By far the largest majority of statutory health insurance companies will not require an additional contribution from their insured persons in the coming year. First and foremost, DAK, the third largest health insurer, will abolish the additional contribution in the second quarter. That resulted in a survey of the finance portal „1A health insurance“. According to their survey, in the next year 133 of the 153 health insurances will not make an additional contribution.

The good economic situation and the contribution increases in the course of the health care reform at the beginning of the year have brought the statutory health insurance in the majority a comfortable financial position. According to a survey of the consumer portal „1a health insurance“ refuse 133 of 153 funds on their additional obolus. Five health insurance funds publicly plan their financial year at the beginning of the new year with an additional contribution, which will be on average eight euros per member of the fund and month. Five additional funds are initiating a merger, which will most likely eliminate the additional contribution. Among them are the German employees health insurance DAK and the BKK health (from 2012 DAK health).

According to research by the portal, ten other statutory health insurance companies have not yet made a public statement, leaving their decision open. For seven funds it is already clear that the additional contribution will be between 30 and 120 euros. However, there are also health insurance companies who pay a premium to their members. Below are small funds such as the BKK A.T.U. as well as the somewhat bigger trade health insurance HKK.

Eight million insured persons must pay an additional contribution in 2012
According to the authors, around eight million people in Germany will have to pay an additional contribution from next year. However, this includes DAK, BKK Gesundheit and BKK Axel Springer. All three are planning a merger, which will greatly reduce the number of those affected if the Federal Insurance Office agrees to abolish the additional contribution. There have been controversial discussions about this over the past few days.

Social compensation is zero euros
As in the current year 2011, the Federal Ministry of Health under the direction of the Minister of Health Daniel Bahr (FDP) has set the average additional contribution at zero euros. This is calculated from all health insurance in the Federal Republic. Because only a small minority demands an additional contribution, the lump sum is purely mathematically zero. This, in turn, has implications for social equalization. Thus, those with a low income receive no financial compensation, even if their health fund makes use of an additional contribution. The Federal Government justifies this step with the fundamental possibility of change. Insured persons can also regularly cancel their health insurance outside of the special right of termination and look for another health insurance without an additional contribution. The revenues in the health fund are sufficient to adequately insure all members of the fund.

It is noticeable that above all company health insurance companies demand an additional contribution. These include BKK Hoesch, BKK advita, BKK Axel Springer and BKK MERCK. The only fund that is not out of the group of company funds and requires an additional contribution is the KKH alliance. Health insurance companies that pay out a premium to their insured persons are, for example, BKK Wirtschaft & Finanzen, BKK Würth or G & V BKK. All funds in the overview can be found on the named portal.

Perspectively nationwide additional contributions
Experts are unclear as to how long the phase of additional contribution-free time will last for a long time. In the longer term, the black and yellow federal government also expects that most funds will no longer get around an additional contribution. For the economic outlook for the coming year is no longer so optimistic and the age structure of society will continue to increase. Also, it is expected that more and more funds will close, as recently the City BKK and now the BKK for health professionals. The designated goal of the Federal Government is to reduce the number of health insurance funds by the competition strongly. The additional contributions are currently very unpopular with the health insurance funds, because above all younger and high-income insured persons make use of their right of exchange. (Sb)

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Picture: Gerd Altmann