Rösler plans private supplementary care insurance

The Federal Minister of Health Philipp Rösler plans to introduce a private long-term care insurance for all statutory health insurance. The Association of Ersatzkassen rejects the plans for nursing reform. Once again, the cost increase in the healthcare system would have to be borne by the insured alone.

21.01.2011

The Federal Minister of Health Philipp Rösler (FDP) plans to introduce a private long-term care insurance for statutory health insurance in the course of the care reform. The Association of German Ersatzkassen rejects the reform proposal of the Minister of Health. In order to secure the long-term care insurance in the future, instead, the contributions should be in a few years „moderate“ be raised. The minister again suspects that he wants to privatize the statutory health care system step by step.

Additional costs for care through demographic change
The population will become older and older as a result of the demographic change of our society. Age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia will increase significantly. This involuntarily raises the question of a future secured financing of long-term care insurance. The Minister of Health Philipp Rösler (FDP) therefore plans to introduce a capital-based supplementary care insurance. According to the minister, the privatization of the supplementary long-term care insurance should compensate for the rising expenditure in the area of ​​long-term care. The nursing care insurance, which is currently financed by apportionment, can no longer withstand future cost increases, according to Rösler. Instead, insured persons should take out supplementary insurance and thus provide for the protection of old-age care. Demographic change continues to provoke rising costs as more and more people claim care.

Capital stock of the long-term care insurance must be parity
In view of the proposals of the Federal Minister of Health, the association of alternative health insurance funds (vdek) was extremely critical. The Federal Government commits the same mistake as at the planning times of the health care reform. Once again, the coalition tries to shift the cost increase in the health system to the insured. One must not make the same mistake, and impose the cost increases only on the insured, so the association head of the alternative funds Christian tooth on Thursday in Berlin. Instead, the association calls for the creation of a supplementary capital stock, which is financed in equal parts by employers and employees according to the principle of equality. „We do not want the insured to financially bear the brunt of the reform. And we do not want the care to be individualized.“ warned tooth. In order to be able to react to rising expenses in the future, there should also be minimal increases in long-term care insurance contributions for all health insured persons. The association of the substitute cash registers serves as umbrella organization of the health insurance companies Barmer GEK, DAK and other smaller funds.

Supplementary capital stock for sustainability
The construction of a supplementary capital stock was called Zahn as one „sustainability reserve“ as part of the long-term care insurance. This reserve should „mandatory, collective, income-based and shared financially.“ Employers should thereby fulfill their social responsibility towards the employees. If these premiums are income-dependent, as planned by Rösler, the insured will - as in the days of health care reform - „loaded on one side“. In addition, there is a risk that older policyholders will not be able to afford sufficient time for private supplementary insurance in order to ensure secure financing. It should be noted that this also increases the administrative burden, which in turn causes further costs.

Financial reserves of long-term care insurance will last until 2014
According to the Federal Association of AOK-Krankenkassen, Herbert Reichel, the financial reserves of long-term care insurance until the spring of 2014. From this point, the AOK Association pleads to allow contributions to rise slightly. Here, too, there is a call for the implementation of a capital cover within the framework of statutory long-term care insurance. Only in this way could the principle of solidarity be guaranteed.

Pflegereform 2012 in favor of private insurance
Once again Minister Rösler has to accept the accusation of acting in the sense of private health insurance. Because the proposal Röslers includes a strengthening of private health insurance (PKV). The additional insurance policies should be completed with the PKV. In addition, the employers should be spared and bear the cost increase of the nursing reform itself. For the coming year 2012, the Minister of Health plans to launch a major reform. Since the expenditure side of long-term care insurance will exceed the income side, according to the previous pay-as-you-go system, sufficient long-term care insurance can no longer be guaranteed. Insured who deposit now no longer save for themselves, but pay for those who already have a right to care benefits today. So Rösler pleads for one „fundamental rethinking“ the population. Even today, the young generation has to start thinking about tomorrow and securing it accordingly. This means everyone should only deposit for themselves later „individualized care services“ to obtain. This also means that who completes higher insurance policies, is better cared for in old age.

However, what is with those who are unemployed or whose low income for a private supplementary insurance are not sufficient, said Rösler. Instead, the private health insurance is to be opened up a new opportunity to offer more policies. The gradual process of privatization of statutory health care will be further accelerated by the reform proposals of the Federal Ministry of Health.

Parity care insurance versus private supplementary care insurance
Long-term care insurance is a statutory social security insurance that comes into effect when an insured person has to resort to care benefits in case of need. The current contribution rate is based on the insured's income is 1.95 percent. The contribution is financed equally by employees and employers (0.975 per cent each). A private long-term care insurance is based not on the income, but on the desired hedges. The insurance premiums must be borne by each insured person without the employer's share. (Sb)

Read about care insurance:
Contribution assessment limit is lowered
Contribution increase expected at nursing care insurance
PKV increases its contributions from 2011

Picture: Albrecht E. Arnold