Supplementary contribution to health insurance company United-IKK?

The health insurance United IKK plans the establishment of an additional contribution?

13/05/2011

According to media reports, insured persons of the statutory health insurance company Vereinigte IKK seem to have to get involved in an additional contribution. From the cash register itself, this message is neither confirmed nor specifically denied.

Additional contribution to the United IKK
Additional contributions to the health insurance companies are extremely unpopular. Last year it had been shown that such additional contributions bounce off members and encourage them to switch to other funds. According to information of the news online portal „World Online“ insured must the financially ailing guild health insurance „United IKK“ apparently add to an additional contribution. The impetus for the supposition of the SPD Bundestag politician Klaus Brandner has delivered. In an interview Brandner had warned that the health insurance needed urgently financial aid. Otherwise „an additional contribution is inevitable“, warned the politician, who is also a member of the board of the United IKK. Health economists had warned some time ago that the United IKK is facing a loss of around 50 million euros. Board member Klaus Brandner told the newspaper, Expenditure currently exceeds current income. In the health fund allocations do not consider the regional differences. The health costs vary from region to region. In higher-quality care structures, as in large cities, spending is naturally higher.

United IKK denies financial worries
Contrary to this opinion, the fund corrects reports that report financial hardships. Thus the IKK writes on its side: „So far, United IKK does not levy an additional contribution, is not in debt and therefore can not be threatened with closure because it has sufficient liquidity and assets. The United IKK is neither insolvent nor in debt - no closure is being discussed. The United IKK is able to act.“ No structural measures such as part-time employment were initiated.

Management Committee advises on restructuring measures
This Friday, the Administrative Committee will come together to discuss remedial measures. Because potential financial assistance from other guild health insurance funds could not be sufficient, the introduction of an additional contribution is also debated. From internal circles it was said that the introduction as such was inevitable, „it is only about the amount of the additional contribution“. The other funds in the association have already pledged their financial support. The „IKK classic“ limited support, however. So it was said that one wanted to help the ailing cash register only if in addition to austerity measures, an additional contribution is levied. A spokeswoman for the United IKK did not object to this warning, but told the newspaper that the board will discuss various measures to "ensure competitiveness". A merger of IKK Classic and the Vereinte IKK into one of the largest German health insurance companies failed at the beginning of the year. IKK Classic rejected the merger offer due to the difficult economic situation of the United IKK.

1.7 million insured affected
A possible additional contribution would affect around 1.7 million health insured persons. The United IKK is thus the second largest guild fund in Germany and many times larger than the soon to be closed City BKK. A spokesman for the Federal Insurance Office assured that the United IKK had not announced any impending bankruptcy. Currently, the authority of two funds a message of imminent bankruptcy before. „The named health insurance is not included“, so the speaker. If a health insurance company raises an additional contribution, insured persons can make use of their special right of termination. After announcement of the introduction members have the possibility to look for another health insurance without additional contribution. Last year, over 500,000 people exercised their right of termination. Main reason was the additional contribution. (Sb)

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