Insurance change in the PKV massively increased

Tens of thousands change from statutory to private health insurance

16/05/2011

The measures of the health care reform to strengthen the private health insurance (PKV) decided by the black and yellow federal government are bearing fruit. As the „Frankfurter Rundschau“ (FR) reported, the private health insurance companies the legal health insurance in the first quarter of 2011, barely 40,000 members - around 40 percent more than in the same period last year.

The private health insurance companies are profiting considerably from the simplification of the change of insurance into private health insurance since the beginning of the year, which was decided last year as part of the healthcare reform. According to the figures of the Federal Ministry of Health, this year from January to April, 39,670 people have already switched to private health insurance. Compared to the 28,577 insurance exchangers from the year 2010, an increase of almost 40 percent. While the private health insurance companies are looking forward to the increase in membership, the statutory health insurance companies are threatened with considerable loss of revenue. Because in the first place, young, healthy, well-earning members whose insurance income was higher than the costs change to the private health insurance.

Simplified insurance change since the beginning of the year
Since the beginning of the year, insured persons can switch to PKV from a single annual income of at least € 49,500 (compulsory insurance limit). To date, employees over a period of three years with their income had to be above the compulsory insurance limit. In the context of health care reform, however, the German government has decided to simplify the change of insurance and thus to intensify competition between the various insurance systems, the CDU, the CSU and the FDP. Of the new exchange options make apparently now numerous insured use. In the first three months of 2011, about 40 percent more people were transferred to private health insurance than in the same period last year.

Private health insurance pleased about member influx
Stefan Reker, spokesman for the Association of private health insurance, was pleased about the influx into the private health insurance and stressed against the „FR“, that „it's good and right“ had been, the „Three-year waiting period“ abolish, there now „more freedom of choice for the insured“ there is. „We are happy when many insured people use this freedom to choose private health insurance,“ said Reker on behalf of the Association of Private Health Insurance. The majority of new customers benefited from the two largest private health insurance companies, Debeka and DKV. „We are seeing a significant upturn in new business“, said a spokesman for the DKV in conversation with the „FR“. Exactly numbers did not want to call the DKV however. Debeka, on the other hand, stated that in the first three months of the year 14,000 new members could be won from the statutory health insurance. Also at the Debeka was one of „noticeable revival“ of the business reports.

Wechselwelle causes financial losses with the GKV
But what makes the private health insurance is happy, at the expense of already bruised statutory health insurance. Many of the statutory insurers are already facing significant financial pressure in the face of the cost explosion in the healthcare sector, which they can only absorb by levying additional contributions. But as the current case of the insolvent City BKK points to dramatic, can be caused by the introduction of additional contributions, a wave of change, which aggravates the financial problems of the insurance. That especially healthy, young, well-off members of the GKV turn their backs and insure themselves privately, there is another problem. Because the remaining insured often cause more costs than the health insurance over their insurance premiums. By contrast, those who switch to private health insurance usually look the other way around - they pay less than they pay. Thus the legal insurances by the simplification of the change of insurance arise additional costs, which range in the range between 80 million euro (estimate PKV) and 500 million euro (estimate GKV), reports the „FR“. The health economist Jürgen Wasem from the University of Duisburg-Essen emphasized to the newspaper: „We have a lot of data ambiguity in this area“, However, he personally considers the estimates of the federal government with 250 million euros realistic.

Insurance change towards PKV critically assessed
The massive wave of change in the direction of private health insurance, is from the point of view of the critics also to judge negative because private insurance only accept the customers, where they promise more revenue than spending. That means young, healthy earners are gladly taken. Old, chronically sick people with low incomes, however, remain in the GKV. In the end, the simplified insurance change decided by the Federal Government favors a kind of negative selection, in which the SHI is significantly weakened, as well as the accusation of opposition. In addition, it remains unclear to what extent the significant commission payments for the intermediaries paid by private health insurances for new contracts affected the number of policy changes. It is quite conceivable that the number of policy changes, which will be reduced by the legislator's already planned reduction of commissions, will be significantly lower in the future. Because so far, not only many customers are interested in switching to private health insurance, but also the insurance brokers are extremely motivated, given the waving commissions of up to 18 monthly contributions to initiate as many new deals. (Fp)

Also read:
The health care reform comes into force
PKV distribution methods in places unserious
PKV: No contracts during pregnancy?
Separation of private health insurance and GKV a discontinued model?
Consumer advocates warn against PKV low tariffs
Beware of PKV lock offers
PKV basic rate: Doctors refuse treatment
From 2011: Higher health costs
Thousands change to private health insurance
PKV and children: change should be well considered

Picture: Gerd Altmann / Gerold Meiners