Not always a liberation of additional contributions in Hartz IV

Hartz IV recipients are exempt from the additional contribution of the health insurance since the beginning of the year. That does not apply in any case!
Since the beginning of the year, recipients of Hartz IV benefits have been exempted from paying the additional contributions. Although there is no general exemption for the additional contributions of the health insurance companies, the costs are paid by the federal government into the health fund. As part of the health care reform Hartz IV recipients do not have to pay an additional contribution to their health insurance, if the fund pays one.

It may also be necessary for Hartz IV recipients to pay additional contributions. Picture: esoxx01 - fotolia

From the beginning of 2011, not only the unemployment benefit II recipients will be exempted from the additional contribution of the funds. Likewise exempt are students, welfare recipients, military and civilian service providers, trainees, mini-jobbers and the disabled with no or only a low income. For the named group of persons, the average additional contribution (see GKV-Financing Act, § 242 Abs. 4 SGB V) pays this contribution, but the federal government directly (see GKV-Financing Act, § 221b S. 3 SGB V) to the health insurance companies. In this regard, the Federal Ministry of Health comments as follows: "In practice, this means that ALG-II recipients do not have to pay the additional contribution themselves, unless a health insurance fund stipulates in their statutes that the difference between the cash-specific and the average additional contribution from these members pay is. "

This means that there may be problems in the future if the additional contribution is higher than the average additional contribution of all funds. For then, a difference is due, which may have to be paid by the insured person from the ALG II standard rate itself. This circumstance is given when the health insurance funds determine the payment of the difference in their statute (see § 242 Abs. 4 SGB V i.d.g.F). Legal experts assume that the funds will undoubtedly enshrine such statutes, so as not to be left behind. So far, however, confirmed the Federal Ministry of Labor, that so far no health insurance has anchored such an addition in their statutes. This means at the moment that the health insurance companies do not charge any additional costs for ALG II recipients. However, the financial position of the funds is more relaxed due to the general premium increase to 15.5 percent. Only a fraction of the health insurance funds currently levies an additional contribution. If the situation changes, some funds may also start changing their position.

An exemption of the additional contributions under the mentioned conditions takes place with the following groups of people:
An exemption of the additional contributions is possible for the following groups of people who are in different circumstances or receive other social benefits. People are themselves,

- are in training according to the Vocational Training Act (§ 5 Abs. 4a SGB V),

- Disabled persons in recognized workshops or institutions are (§ 5 Abs. 1 Nr. 7 and 8 SGB V),

- Participants in "Benefits for participation in working life", on findings of professional aptitude or work testing are, as far as these measures are not provided in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Care Act (§ 5 para. 1 no. 6 SGB V),

- To have or receive a claim for sickness benefit or maternity allowance, who receive parental allowance or parental allowance or are parental leave (§ 192 para. 1 no. 2 SGB V),

- receive injured allowance, sickness benefit or transitional allowance during a medical rehabilitation (§ 192 para. 1 no. 3 SGB V),

- be granted leave of absence without pay during their pregnancy (§ 192 Abs. 4 SGB V),

- Infringement according to SGB VII, sickness benefits according to the federal pension law or similar remuneration,

- Military service or civil service while receiving no salary,

- are employed for their vocational training, receive a remuneration that does not exceed 325 euros per month, whereby a one-time allowance is permissible (§ 20 para. 3 p. 1 no. 1 and p. 2 SGB IV),

- a voluntary social year or a voluntary ecological year i.S.d. Youth Voluntary Welfare Act (§ 20 para. 3 sent. 1 no. 2 SGB IV), but only as long as they do not receive any additional contributory income (§ 242 Abs. 5 SGB V i.d.g.F).

- For social assistance benefit recipients their additional contribution was and will be paid by the service provider in accordance with § 32 Abs. 4 SGB XII.

An exemption of the additional contribution may be considered for:
An exemption of additional contributions may also be for other people in need of help. For example, mini-jobbers could be exempted from the additional contributions up to a monthly income of € 400 gross. Insofar as the additional receipt of social benefits (eg Hartz IV increase) results in compulsory insurance, it could happen that those affected must pay an additional contribution.

No exemption from additional contributions
Clearly Not exempt from the additional contributions are students (if they are not insured with family insurance) and unemployment benefit. Initially, the Federal Ministry of Health had planned to finance the additional contribution also from tax revenue. Due to the opposition of the CSU this could not be implemented. Even those who do civic work are not exempted from the additional contributions. For those, however, social compensation may be considered, which must be requested separately. (Sb)

Picture: Dr. Klaus-Uwe Gerhardt