Doctors president expects rising cash contributions

Contribution increase despite billions surplus in the health fund

20.07.211

Despite the looming billions in surplus in the health fund, the president of the German Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery, the population has set on rising health insurance contributions. The currently discussed possible contribution cuts, rejected Montgomery. „This discussion is absurd and owed only short-term political land gains,“ explained the President of the Federal Medical Association.

Due to the unexpectedly good economic development, the health fund currently shows a surplus, which is expected to increase by the end of the year to about 6.8 billion euros, according to the Federal Insurance Office. While in politics in view of the surplus funds is already discussed about possible reductions in the contribution rate of the statutory health insurance, the President of the German Medical Association has spoken out against such a contribution reduction and the insured instead prepared for further contribution increases.

Contribution reductions rejected, adjustment of the doctors' fees demanded
Although the Health Fund is expected to close at the end of the year with a significant surplus, but contribution reductions are not an option given the cost increases in the health system, said Frank Ulrich Montgomery. When „Main reasons for higher expenses“ called the President of the Federal Medical Association opposite the Ulmer „Southwest Press“the medical progress and „the increasing number of elderly patients“. In today's healthcare system will be „we inevitably get higher contributions, and we have to worry about that in the long term,“ Montgomery explained. According to the President of the German Medical Association, adjustments to the fees of resident physicians are due, as physicians have suffered up to 50 percent of their purchasing power over the past 30 years. This applies „it to catch up to a part“, stressed Montgomery. In addition, the bureaucratic effort for the doctors must be reduced again and the working hours or working conditions should be improved, said the President of the German Medical Association. At first, the doctors are building up „reasonable discussions with the politicians,“ but Montgomery also hopes for popular support. „When people realize that the doctors are dissatisfied, they will question policy decisions,“ explained the President of the German Medical Association.

No scope for contribution reductions in the statutory health insurance
Regarding possible reduction of contributions, the President of the Federal Insurance Office, Maximilian Gaßner, had already expressed his opinion at the beginning of July and emphasized that in his view there was no room for a reduction of the cash contributions. Of the approximately 6.8 billion euros are two billion euros for the hardship case in the additional contributions and three billion euros for the statutory reserve already planned. In addition, 2.48 billion euros needed to clean up the accrued in the wake of the financial crisis in 2009, Gaßner had explained. This leaves hardly any free funds that would be available for a contribution reduction, said the President of the Federal Insurance Office earlier this month.

Federal Minister of Health: Increase reserves of the health fund
The Federal Minister of Health Daniel Bahr (FDP) unexpectedly spoke in favor of using the surpluses of the health fund in mid-June to reduce premiums. Instead of using the free funds to reduce the contribution rates, they should, according to the will of the Federal Minister of Health, remain as a reserve for worse economic times in the health fund. According to the Federal Minister of Health, it would be nonsensical, „If necessary, to lower the contribution rate in the statutory health insurance system to a minimum in order to raise it again at the next economic fluctuation“. The minister added that this legislative period was started with a billion deficit in the health fund and he is pleased, „that we now have a small buffer at about 180 billion euros total expenditure.“

Contribution increases are currently not an issue in politics
But in the governing coalition, the issue does not appear to have been finally decided yet, as the CSU indicated that, in its opinion, at least in the medium term, lowering contributions would be a conceivable option for using surplus revenue. The statements of the President of the German Medical Association should therefore come in little favor of the CSU. But even the Federal Minister of Health has not been prompted to prepare the insured for further possible contribution increases. Although Daniel Bahr pleaded for a use of the surplus to increase the reserves of the health fund and the Federal Minister of Health also probably shares Montgomery's view that the debate about a reduction in contributions is absurd and owed only short-term political land gains. But further increases in contributions are for the Federal Minister of Health - unlike the President of the German Medical Association - in the current gratifying revenue development is not an issue. (Fp)

Also read about the topic of cash contributions:
Billions surplus in the health fund
Daniel Bahr rejects reduction of the cash contributions
Excessive savings efforts of the health insurance companies

Picture credits: Thommy Weiss