Techniker Krankenkasse additional contribution in 2015?

Techniker health insurance predicts additional contribution from 2015

02/11/2014

The technician health insurance wants to make no additional contributions. This promise would remain even if many other funds should make an additional contribution in 2015. However, one does not want to commit to 100 percent for the time afterwards. Experts expect that some funds from the reduction in cash contributions levy additional contributions.

The health insurance companies have since the health reform, the possibility to raise an additional contribution. Since the economy boomed in recent years and unemployment fell, the statutory health insurance companies could often generate a billion surplus. That could be over soon, according to many experts. If the subsidies from the health fund are no longer sufficient, the health insurances can levy a so-called flat-rate additional contribution. "We do not intend to do that," said TK spokesman Hermann Bärenfänger „Manager Magazine“. In an interview of the TK boss Jens Baas the additional contributions were not completely excluded. This had led to the uncertainty of the insured.

The Techniker Krankenkasse is one of the largest health insurances in Germany with almost 9 million insured persons. According to the cash register would be very many „earners“ and „voluntarily insured“ be among the members. If the TC made additional contributions, this could cause a change of membership. The additional revenue from the additional contributions could quickly turn out to be a financial fiasco. Especially if other funds continue to get along without the lump sum contribution.

Cash contribution is lowered
Already the health insurance funds are looking forward to the restructuring of the financing of health insurance funds at the beginning of 2015 with concern. For example, the black and yellow federal government plans to reduce the contribution rate from 15.5 to 14.6 percent. If funds get into difficulties through the regulation, they should make an additional contribution. The Federal Government apparently plans this step to reform the cash market. Because of the growing competition it could be that some cash registers close.

The cashier was pessimistic in the interview. The lowered cash contribution will not be enough. There will certainly be a few funds that first consume their reserves, this will then be one to two years rich, in order not to have to make an additional contribution. It is not unrealistic that the average additional contribution will be 1.2 percent, but the Techniker Krankenkasse will be significantly lower, "Baas said when asked if the TK would also be available from 2015 onwards Additional contributions.

But now the TK is rowing back. The cashier stressed that the technicians are among the providers who have high reserves. Therefore give it „2015 no additional contribution“. However, the speaker did not want to be fixed on how long the TC would get along without an additional contribution. You do not know today, „how revenue and expenditure or the tax subsidy will develop.“

However, the Federal Insurance Office already knows today that if the economic situation remains the same, there will be an average additional contribution of 1.6 percent by 2017 at the latest. The unions had warned in a study even before even higher lump sums. So it can happen that members have to shell out up to 100 euros per month additionally. But that was not the case until 2025. (Sb)