Insureds owe health insurance 1.5 billion

Insured are with 1.5 billion euros in health insurance in the Crisis

04/17/2012

More than 600,000 insured persons owe the statutory health insurance membership fees. In total, a debt mountain of 1.5 billion euros was created. However, many of those affected are financially unable to pay the outstanding contributions. For many, only the way to private bankruptcy remains.

Defaulting payers of health insurance companies are usually poor
The German health care system seems to be doing well with reserves of currently just under 20 billion euros. The statutory health insurance alone generated a surplus of around four billion euros last year. At the same time, more than 600,000 insured persons currently have a good 1.5 billion euros in debts at the health insurances, as reported by the umbrella association of statutory health insurance (GKV) today.

According to the Kassenverband, the outstanding amounts have risen dramatically in recent months. While in August 2011, 638,000 insured persons still had arrears amounting to more than a billion, by the end of the year they had already reached 1.2 billion euros. In February 2012, receivables increased again massively. The reason for the high number of defaulting payers is above all the introduction of compulsory insurance in 2007. A large proportion of those affected had therefore returned to the statutory health insurance. Previously, the social services had taken their contributions. But this group of debtors is in the coffers with around 466 million euros in the chalk. „The introduction of compulsory insurance did not mean that members can pay their contributions, "says Ann Marini, spokeswoman for the GKV.On the defaulting payers, there are also many self-employed who are voluntarily insured, but for example due to a poor order situation do not pay their insured contributions can.

Most debtors are poor. Many are simply unable to pay the outstanding contributions. In general, the funds have a staggered dunning procedure in which the defaulting payers are repeatedly written to before the main customs offices as collection agencies of the Federation and other public-law institutions begin to collect the money. The health insurance companies report that even enforcement officers in the field service often could not collect anything, because many affected people have so little resources and therefore there is nothing to get. But because a compulsory insurance exists, those affected by the cash can not be terminated.

Non-payer rate planned for private individuals
The private health insurance knows the problem. As announced in January of this year, private insurance has a steadily increasing financial hole. According to the umbrella organization of private health insurance (PKV), the total damage last year amounted to around 500,000 euros. According to unconfirmed media reports, around 145,000 privately insured persons were unable to pay their contributions at the end of 2011. The Federal Ministry of Health is now working with insurers to introduce a „Nottarifs“, in that only „emergency services“ such as care during pregnancy and acute health problems are included. Thus, the PKV is to be relieved at the expense of the victims.

What to do with contribution debts?
Anyone who has accumulated contribution debts must in any case repay the contributions retroactively. If you can not settle the debt at once, you can usually arrange installment payments with the funds. In addition, it is advisable in the current year to ask for a reduction in contributions to the health insurance. For overpaid contributions are not refunded at the end of the year, even if the insured had less pay due to his income. If the money can not be raised in any case, a private bankruptcy is recommended after consultation with a debt counseling service. (Ag)

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Health insurance: What is changing 2016351a2cc0b08c03> Image: Benjamin Thorn