Techniker Krankenkasse discontinues Tarif TK-Privat

Optional tariff TK Privat set

Techniker health insurance sets tariff "TK-Privat" one.

(13.08.2010) The Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) is offering the optional tariff at the end of the year „TK-private“ again. The cashier justifies the step by saying that the electoral tariff would not be economical enough. Health insurants of the TK cash register had with this tariff the possibility health achievements like „privately-insured“ to claim something.

At the end of the year will be the health luxury fare „TK-private“ set. Affected by this step are about 7000 health insurance. It was not until 2007 that the Techniker Krankenkasse had offered this optional tariff and advertised that the additional benefits were on a par with those of a private health insurance. That's the slogan of the advertising slogan: "At TK insured as a private patient treated". Among other things, patients with this optional tariff got an appointment more quickly with a specialist or general practitioner and had to plan less waiting time. This was possible because the TK paid 3.5 times the simple rate of fees for physicians if the insured chose such an additional optional tariff. For this, in addition to the regular health insurance contribution had an additional contribution to the electoral rate „TK-private“ be paid.

The TK-Kasse justified the step with it, the tariff would not count itself economically. In this case, the system of elective tariffs is responsible. "In private health insurance, risk is not calculated equitably, which means that the choice-of-way plans are structurally underfunded," says the Association of Private Health Insurers vis-à-vis Rheinische Post. For this reason, the elective rates are in spite of additional contributions by the insured „under funded“, as Verbandschef explained.

If only a few are insured over such a tariff, the social balance between healthy and sick insured no longer works. If, for example, many chronically ill patients are in such a system, who often have to see a doctor, the whole elective tariff system will fail. A health check for insured who choose this eligibility plan does not exist in contrast to the private health insurance. There the insured persons are classified by means of the general state of health.

Health insurance companies such a „Luxury Health Collective“ can offer at any time to adjust the offer again. This was also explained by a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Health: „Electoral tariffs are based on the respective cash register statutes and do not belong to the legal rule catalog with their services“. Insured persons who have such a tariff can not defend themselves against the dissolution of the offer.

Who continues one „Private patients status“ can also choose a reimbursement model. However, such tariffs are much more expensive, so a comparison to the actual benefit factor makes sense. As a participant in the elective "reimbursement", the health benefits have to be paid for once. The insured give the health insurance card from their health insurance. After submitting the costs, the health insurance company reimburses part of the costs, the remaining amount has to be paid by the insured. For this reason, it is recommended to additionally take out private supplementary insurance in order to minimize the risk of excessive costs. For many health insurance companies, the choice of reimbursement tariff is a condition for the optional deductible or premium / premium refund. (Sb)

Image: Marko Greitschus