Members of City BKK perplexed and shocked

Closure of City BKK for the insured a shock

05/05/2011

Many insured of the City BKK are shocked. After the health insurance company announced that it will cease operations on 1 July, the older insureds in particular are often at a loss, explained Katja Hilbold, spokeswoman for City BKK.

Time and again in recent months was speculated about a possible bankruptcy of the City BKK, the beginning of the week it was time: The Federal Insurance Office (BVA) decreed the closure on 1 July, because the „economic efficiency of the health insurance no longer secured in the long run“ could be. For the approximately 168 000 insured a shock, because many are unclear what effect this means for them personally. Therefore, the City BKK has set up a counseling hotline, where the victims can inform themselves about the possible consequences.

Advisory hotline informs about the closure of City BKK
With the closure of City BKK, the Federal Insurance Office has initiated the corresponding insolvency proceedings for the first time since the introduction of the health fund. For the almost 170,000 members their previous insurance relationship ends on 1 July, then they have to look for a new health insurance. In order to inform the insured persons as comprehensively as possible about the forthcoming procedure, the City BKK has set up an advisory hotline, where the lines are currently never stopped. Many insured people are shocked, „there are even tears“, spokeswoman for the City BKK, Katja Hilbold told „Berlin morning mail“. In particular, older members of City BKK are often extremely insecure and do not know how to deal with the situation. Above all, the question of future insurance poses considerable problems for the senior citizens concerned, as the choice between many providers confuses them, explained Katja Hilbold. During the discussions with the counseling hotline, many older people were overwhelmed by the fact that they were looking for a new health insurance fund immediately, emphasized the spokeswoman for City BKK. But the City BKK can not advise its members in the selection of future health insurance, as this is a private matter, so Hilbold on. The hotline, which has been online since Wednesday, serves as well as the information on the internet and the information letter to be sent in the coming days to inform all insured persons about the closure on 1 July. Further information or advice is not provided for by the City BKK spokeswoman.

Insured of the City BKK must look for a new health insurance
For City BKK insured, closure itself is not an exceptional drawback. However, you will need to seek new health insurance by 1 July and can no longer rely on City BKK's potential contacts. This may be associated with a slight breach of trust, especially among the people for whom „the health insurance company an important protection“ is, „which they have chosen very consciously“, said the spokeswoman for City BKK. But the insured have no other option, because the closure announced by the Federal Insurance Office is inevitable. City BKK has accumulated ever-increasing debts in recent years and has recently attempted to reduce them with an additional contribution of 15 euros. Due to the high additional contribution, however, numerous, especially young and healthy insured left the City BKK, so that a further increase in the deficit was foreseeable. The Federal Insurance Office then pulled the emergency brake and now announced the closure of the City BKK. Whereby also the liquidation of the insolvent health insurance company will bring substantial costs. Between 135 and 150 million, the bankruptcy of City BKK is expected to cost.

Employees of City BKK also perplexed
In addition to the insured, the employees of the City BKK are relatively helpless since the closure was announced. Although many of the approximately 400 City BKK employees have non-terminable employment contracts, their future is still uncertain. Whether they can possibly be accommodated with the other company health insurance funds or the national associations, so far not clarified, so the spokeswoman of the city BKK. In the case of employees with terminable employment contracts, however, the employment relationship will be terminated and they will have to look for a new job on 1 July, said Hilbold. (Fp)

Also read:
City BKK: collapse by additional contribution
Health Insurance City BKK is closed
Imminent bankruptcy of City BKK
City-BKK saved from insolvency?
Statutory health insurance funds in need
Health insurance City BKK & GBK threatened by bankruptcy
City BKK and GBK rescued from bankruptcy
Health insurance GBK now broke?

Image: Claudia Hautumm