SPD calls for lowering of health insurance contributions

The SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach calls for an immediate reduction in health insurance contributions. The health insurances generate surplus amounts, which are now to serve as reserves.

27.01.2011

The statutory health insurance companies are expected to generate a surplus of about 2.7 billion euros in this year 2011. In view of this surplus, health experts of the SPD demand a reduction in the contribution of regular health insurance contributions. But the Federal Ministry of Health blocks: The expected surplus is needed to balance the forecast deficit of the last and coming years. The Greens are against it.

Increase in contributions cause surplus in the health fund
The regular contribution rate of the statutory health insurance increased at the beginning of the year from 14.6 to 15.5 percent. Health insurers estimate that health insurances will generate a healthy surplus of around € 2.7 billion. In view of these predictions, the SPD calls on health politician and doctor. Karl Lauterbach the withdrawal of contribution increases. The increase in the cost of health insurance by 0.6 percent would not have been necessary at all, so Lauterbach. It would be better now to relieve workers. For example, Lauterbach told Passauer Neue Presse: „The contribution rate for employees can be reduced immediately by 0.3 contribution points.“ The increase in the employer's share, however, should continue. At the turn of the year, the health insurance reform raised the regular contribution rate to 15.5 percent. All future increases must be borne by the insured themselves, as the employer's share has been frozen since the beginning of the year.

Revenue of the health insurance companies of over 181.6 billion euros
The GKV circle of judges consisting of the Ministry of Health, representatives of the statutory health insurance funds and the Federal Insurance Office had declared at the beginning of the week that this year revenues of 181.6 billion euros will be generated. The revenues go directly into the health fund. However, all health insurances collectively receive only allocations totaling 178.9 billion euros. This results in a surplus of 2.7 billion euros. According to the estimator, the profit generated should be used as a reserve for future expenses. The experts in the group of valuers had to raise their estimates by 500 million euros.

Federal Ministry of Health sees no scope for contribution reductions
However, the Federal Ministry of Health is in no way in agreement with the proposal to lower the contributions of the funds. There is no financial scope to reduce contributions. Health Secretary Stefan Kapferer (FDP) confirmed in a letter to all coalition parties that reserves in the fund will rise to 6.2 billion euros by the end of the year. Insular office, the health insurance companies have additional financial reserves of 6.3 billion euros, the FDP politician. However, the health insurance funds need the funds to compensate for the expected deficit in 2010 of about 1.1 billion euros. In addition, the health fund must formally prescribed minimum reserves, the amount of 3.8 billion euros. As another argumentation aid of his colleagues Kapferer delivered another snapshot. Finally, you need the money to largely prevent additional contributions. In fact, only 13 of the almost 160 health insurance companies currently charge an additional contribution. The CSU health politician Johannes Singhammer told Handelsblatt that the health insurance reserves are necessary to stabilize the current contribution rate for the coming years. This foresight is more important than giving back the money to the workers. Because of this, a new deficit arises that would have to be compensated by additional contributions. Such a „zigzag course“ The federal government wants to avoid contributions.

Greens are against contributions reductions
The Greens could not make friends with the SPD criticism. Although it is a mistake that actually financed by taxpayers social compensation from the reserve of the contributory health fund is paid by 2014, but it was economically wrong to reduce the reserves now, said the health expert of the Greens, Birgit Bender. The social compensation must be guaranteed, otherwise soon there would be no help for Hartz IV recipients, the Green Party politician.

In fact, the health insurance companies speak out against contributions. By increasing the contributions, additional contributions could be prevented in many places. Independent health economists such as Professor Gerd Glaeske stated that in order to actually reduce contributions, stable evaluations are needed. After just four weeks to think about whether to reduce the cash contributions again is far too early. It would be better to wait at least a quarter to observe the financial development. If sufficient reserves are formed, future cash patients could benefit from this.

Social compensation must be secured
To ensure that the planned social compensation remains secure, the reserves must be maintained, warned the health spokesman of the CDU, Jens Spahn. Social compensation serves to spare low-income households dependent on Hartz IV benefits from the additional contributions. According to Spahn, a reduction of the contributions would soon leave no money to finance the social compensation. This year, however, subscribers of basic benefits do not benefit from being paid the additional contributions. Because the current calculated compensation is zero euros. So at least this year, there will be no spending on social security. (Sb)

Also read:
Health insurance companies do not expect a deficit for 2011
The health care reform comes into force
From 2011: Higher health costs
Health insurance: In the future 100 Euro additional contribution?

Picture credits: Chris Beck