Dispute over billions in surplus in the health fund

Despite reserves of the statutory health insurance threaten in future additional contributions

24.02.2012

In the dispute over the billions surplus in the health fund the last word is not yet spoken. While the spokesman for health policy of the CDU, Jens Spahn, demands repayment of the amounts to the insured, the statutory health insurance funds vehemently refuse to meet this demand. A new study of the consulting company „McKinsey“ gives the funds backing, while the Kiel Institute for World Economics (IFW) comes to a very different conclusion.

Schäuble wants to cut federal subsidies for non-insurance benefits by one billion
What happens to the 8.8 billion in the health fund? While Jens Spahn (CDU) demands a repayment to the insured, Florian Lanz, spokesman for the association of statutory health insurances (GKV), warns of imminent additional contributions. The reserves are not sufficient to make payments to the health insurance.

In addition to the billions surplus in the health fund, the fact is that the statutory health insurance funds also have a generous financial cushion, the exact amount of which, however, is not known in detail. For Spahn the situation is clear: „Health insurance companies are not savings banks!“Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU) also demands part of the reserves. In 2011, the federal government had paid two billion euros into the health fund. This money should now be repaid. In addition, Schäuble plans to cut the federal subsidy for non-insurance benefits by one billion euros.

The result of the McKinsey study provides backing for the funds
After researching the magazine „The mirror“ a study by the consultants McKinsey to prove that already in 2014, a large deficit of more than nine billion euros in the health fund will exist. „McKinsey's sober hints are a cold shower for anyone dreaming of plundering the reserves of statutory health insurance“, Commented on the results Jürgen Graalmann, CEO of the AOK-Bundesverbandes and also rejected repayments.

How can the financial hole be stuffed? Clear answer from McKinsey: With additional contributions! „The system of the health fund is such that there will be more additional contributions in the future“, Florian Lanz, spokesman for the GKV-Spitzenverband, told Bildzeitung.

Basically, the contribution is insured for insured persons. It equals 15.5 percent of the gross income. These contributions are fed to the health fund, from which the statutory health insurance funds are fed. The needs of the individual funds are determined beforehand by the official group of judges from politics, supervisory authority and health insurance companies. Doctor fees, hospital stays and medicines will rise by about 3.9 percent in the future.

The GKV Association points out that costs will rise faster in the future than revenue. This creates a financial hole worth billions. According to the consulting company „McKinsey“ Expenses for medical fees, medicines and other legal services will increase by an average of 3.9 percent per year. In comparison, the revenue would only increase by 1.4 percent, experts expect. As the health insurances can only increase their income through additional contributions, they are expected to turn out to be an average of 15.50 euros per month. Whether all health insurance actually resort to an additional obolus, is uncertain. To unequal are the economic balance sheets of the individual cash providers.

IFW study proves rising surplus in the health fund
Recently, another study has been published, which came to a completely different conclusion. According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IFW), the billions in surplus of the statutory health insurance will even increase. For 2012, the IMF calculated 5.7 billion euros and for 2013 1.8 billion euros more revenue. Together with the reserves from 2011, the surplus would amount to more than 20 billion euros, according to the IFW. No wonder then that demands for contribution reductions are getting louder and louder.

But the statutory health insurance will really lower their contributions? „Now is not the time to lower contributions“, explains Florian Lanz „image“. In his opinion, the reserves are too low, because the expenses of all statutory health insurance amounted to about 3.5 billion euros per week. That is just about the available surplus in the health fund.

The cash surplus after the third quarter of 2011 was around EUR 10.6 billion. The health fund of 8.8 billion is divided into 3.2 billion euros for the statutory liquidity reserve and 2 billion euros for securing social security. This would give the government 3.6 billion euros available. However, whether this money is used to reduce contributions, to reduce public debt or to remain in the health fund is open.

Are there alternatives to the additional contribution?
Michael Sommer, head of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), answered last year with a clear „Yes“. He pointed out that there are other ways to relieve the POS system. Among other things, a solidary citizens' insurance would be possible, which includes other insured groups. Christoph Straub of the Barmer GEK also considers an improved financial autonomy of the funds to be necessary in order to be able to forego additional contributions in the long term. The funds should be able to decide for themselves which services they offer for which contribution. (Ag)

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Picture: Gerd Altmann