Mandatory limit CDU cancellation to the private health insurance association

Cancellation of the CDU to the private health insurer: No abolition of the PKV mandatory limit

07/26/2013

After the private health insurers demanded a reduction of the compulsory insurance limit in order to attract more customers, not only did the opposition parties clearly oppose such a demand, but also the CDU gave the insurance companies a clear rejection. Jens Spahn, health policy spokesman of the Christian Democratic parliamentary group said to the „Passauer New Press“, that this „not a realistic option“ and could bring significant disadvantages for the statutory health insurance.

The Chairman of the Association of Private Health Insurance, Uwe Laue; had himself in an interview with the „Handelsblatt“ for a reduction in the income limit, from which employees can switch from a statutory health insurance to private health insurance. An advance that meets with little understanding in politics as well as among experts such as the renowned health economist Jürgen Wasem. Currently the compulsory insurance is at an annual income of 52,200 euros. All who earn more - but also all self-employed and civil servants - can leave the statutory health insurance and insure themselves privately. The statutory health insurance companies thereby lose a significant proportion of contributors who would have to pay the maximum rate in the SHI and thus ensure a solidary compensation in the health insurance system. Also, the CDU is aware of this problem and so Spahn spoke in favor of maintaining the compulsory insurance limit, since „any additional change in the private insurance to contribution defaults in the statutory health insurance“ would lead. In addition, Spahn referred to past reports on the lack of basic coverage of some private insured persons and stated that consumer protection for private individuals should be improved and a minimum level of insurance should be prescribed for them.

Unrealistic demand of the private health insurance association
The demand of the chairman of the board of the association of the private health insurance after lowering the compulsory insurance limit seems somewhat unrealistic against the background of the debates about the future structuring of the health insurance system after the general election. Because here are CDU and FDP with their models of PKV are already the closest. On the other side is the demand of the Greens, the Left and the SPD for a uniform health insurance system in which all citizens are insured and in which the particularly well-earners ensure by higher contributions for a solidary balance. A model that would in principle mean an end to conventional private insurance. They would have to limit their business to the sale of supplementary insurance in the future. The mood in the industry is correspondingly nervous.

Legal doubts about lowering the mandatory limit
But not only politically but also legally a lowering of the compulsory insurance limit would be difficult to justify. Thus Jürgen Wasem explained to the „Handelsblatt“ citing a judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court on the compulsory insurance liability from 2004: „If the legislature decides to organize social security in the event of illness through the establishment of a statutory health insurance fund, which is financed with income-related contributions, then it must also ensure that a sufficient number of insured persons are insured with higher incomes in this SHI.“ The lowering of the compulsory insurance limit would result in a change from many healthy, childless insured persons, who are net contributors in the GKV, into the private health insurance scheme, which would undermine the financing principle of the statutory health insurance, explained Wasem. (Fp)