Sharp criticism of health insurance premium increases

Social association criticizes the contribution increases of the health insurance as well as the increase of the possible additional contributions as a "bad news for patients and insured ones" That would be a lump sum through the back door.

(06.07.2010) With the plans of the governing coalition, the health costs are financed more unfairly and unsocial. The seemingly fair premium increase of 0.3 per cent for employers and the legally insured is accompanied by an opening of the cover for increasing additional contributions. Those insured under the law will have to bear growing health costs in the future alone, because the employer's contribution will be fixed. That's the head lump through the back door, even if it's not her name. This was explained by the Federal Director of the People's Solidarity, Dr. med. Bernd Netherland, on Tuesday to the plans of the governing coalition for changes in the financing in the statutory health insurance.

"For patients and the insured, these plans are distressing: they already account for about 60 percent of health care costs, while the employers' share is only 40 percent
Coalition implemented, this imbalance is further aggravated. Because then the statutory insured again have to raise up to 7 billion euros alone, "said Holland.

The burdens on those insured by law grow to the limit. The social compensation remains nebulous. This is especially true of low earners, pensioners, the unemployed, students and apprentices. Retirees, who also have to expect a freeze in 2011, will again suffer real income losses. Zero turns become real minus rounds.

"People's solidarity demands a return to shared funding of health care costs." At the same time, greater consideration must be given to the fact that the importance of wage income is declining compared to other types of income. That is why we are sticking to our demand for citizen insurance, in which everyone participates with all types of income according to their economic performance, "explained the Federal Managing Director.

Holland welcomed the coalition's efforts to save on the expenditure side, especially in the case of pharmaceuticals. However, she remains behind the possibilities here. "For example, it is not clear that Germany is almost the only country in Germany with the full VAT rate on medicines, where the German government could relieve the insured of the burden of reorganizing VAT by 2.8 billion euros." Substantial potentials are also to be developed by avoiding expensive double structures, improved prevention and rehabilitation. (PM People's Solidarity)

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