Consumer advocates against GKV additional contributions

While more and more health insurances demand additional contributions from their insured persons, the Federal Association of Consumer Advice requires physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical industry and pharmacies to contribute more to the costs of the statutory health insurance funds.

(28.04.2010)More and more statutory health insurance companies (GKV) demand so-called additional contributions from their members. In view of the health insurance deficits, the Federal Association of Consumer Advocates calls for a greater financial participation of doctors, pharmacies, pharmaceutical industry and hospitals. The head of consumer protection, Gerd Billen, criticizes the current situation: "It can not be that the insured with statutory contributions are asked to pay additional contributions while others preserve their possessions". The statutory health insurance companies are facing a financial disaster. For example, the Federal Insurance Office recently estimated the financial deficit for 2011 at 15 billion euros. For 2010, the deficit is forecast at 4 billion euros. Despite the additional contributions often made by the insured, the deficit can not be compensated.

In view of these figures, Billen proposes to make the increases in doctors' incomes dependent on the economic development and the revenue base of the health insurance companies. "In times when workers and retirees have to accept zero rounds, the incomes of doctors can not rise disproportionately," said the consumer protection association chief.

Completely contrary to the economic situation as well as the general income development of employees, the remuneration of doctors would continue to increase. In the past year, the salaries of doctors have risen by a total of 3 billion euros. To counteract the shortage of doctors, there should be a better division of labor between doctors and other health professionals.

Reforms should also take place in hospital compensation. By specializing and rationalizing clinics could have achieved significant profits. However, these profits would have played no role in the benefit payments of the statutory health insurance. Significant corrections could be made here, instead of demanding GKV insured persons always higher contributions and lump-sum additional contributions. (Sm)

Image: Andreas Morlok /Pixelio.de.