United IKK No merger, now additional contribution?

Fusion burst, what now? United IKK advises on its own future

02/04/2011

The merger between the beleaguered United IKK and the IKK Classic has burst. Now, the current current board meeting of the IKK United is looking for a new course to strengthen its position and to avoid additional contributions in the future.

Additional contributions to the United IKK are - despite the failed merger - not on the agenda of today's regular strategy meeting of the Board, said a spokesman for the insurance. However, strategic options would be examined to avoid additional contributions over the long term. The merger of the two statutory health insurance companies failed due to the poor financial position of the IKK, reported a spokesman for the Board of Directors of the IKK Classic.

Financial situation of the United IKK strained
After the merger of IKK Classic and Vereinte IKK into one of the largest German health insurance companies failed, the Board of Directors meeting of the United IKK yesterday and today had to make some difficult decisions. It was also about a loan offer in the amount of 50 million euros to decide that the IKK Classic according to reports of „Handelsblatt“ the battered United IKK had made. Whether the United IKK will accept this offer, however, is still open. However, the financial situation of the United IKK with a shortfall of 140 million euros last year can certainly be described as tense. According to media reports, the five members of the umbrella organization IKK e.V. are said to have already held initial discussions about the possibilities of supporting the beleaguered United IKK. It can not therefore be ruled out whether additional contributions for the insured persons of the United IKK may be threatened in the long term. The United IKK only emerged in July 2010 from the merger between IKK Nordrhein and Signal Iduna IKK.

Positive financial position at the IKK Classic
In contrast to the relatively difficult financial situation of the IKK, the financial position of the IKK Classic has so far been much more relaxed. In 2010, the IKK Classic was able to generate a surplus of 49 million euros, whereby it benefited compared to the United IKK from a more favorable insured structure, said the spokesman of the IKK Classic, Michael Förster. The insurer categorized the levying of additional contributions not only for this year, but also for the year 2012 due to the better structural conditions. In addition, IKK Classic hopes to protect its insured persons for an even longer period than until 2012 before additional contributions. In January 2010, IKK Baden-Württemberg and Hesse, IKK Hamburg and IKK Sachsen and Thuringia merged to form IKK Classic.

Rejection of the merger economically comprehensible
The fact that the IKK Classic has not rushed head over heels into a merger with the IKK is from the business point of view only too understandable and a first sign against the general merger trend among the statutory health insurance companies. According to critical experts such as Rolf Stuppardt of the Federal Association of the guilds, this trend is more likely anyway „Little to do with health economic goals“. Some health insurance companies had used the mergers only to reach a systemically important size and so in the event of a possible bankruptcy to be rescued by the state, the expert criticized last year. However, the United IKK and the IKK Classic have long since reached such a size. Several million members would not be easily accommodated in other health insurance schemes. Therefore, the current voluntary aid offers in the direction of the United IKK rather than compulsory services, because the financial distress of the ailing health insurance must be overcome as quickly as possible in the interests of the whole industry. (Fp)

Picture: Chris Beck