Additional contributions Up to 225 Euro late payment surcharge

Who does not pay the additional contribution of the health insurance, must expect in the future with up to 225 euro late payment surcharge.

(18.08.2010) As part of the health care reform, the federal government plans to set up a fine if insured persons do not pay the additional contribution of their health insurance. According to media reports, up to one million people are currently refusing to pay the additional contributions. Including the DAK with more than 4.5 million insured and the KKH Allianz with about 1.5 million. According to a draft bill, the late payment premium should amount to between € 30 and € 225 in the future. The health care reform is to be implemented from 2011.

The health insurance companies complain that more and more people do not pay the additional contribution of the health insurance companies. "Ten percent of our members have not paid the additional contribution," complains a spokesman for the health insurance DAK. 16 of the statutory health insurance currently levy an additional contribution in addition to the regular contribution. The additional contribution must be transferred directly from the cash-desk patients. Most funds raise from their members an additional contribution of a flat rate of eight euros a month.

Yesterday it became known that the black-yellow coalition wants to levy a so-called late payment premium due to the large number of defaulting payers. In the afternoon, concrete amounts were announced. The penalty should therefore be at least 30 euros. Financially better off threatens even a surcharge of 225 euros, if they have not paid the additional contribution in the last six months. So at least the plans in the course of health care reform.

Some health insurance companies make an additional contribution because the current financial expenses exceed the revenues. If the financial aid from the health fund is insufficient, the health insurance companies must demand an additional contribution from their members. The Federal Government plans that the health insurance companies can determine the amount of the maximum additional contribution in the future. Incidentally, Hartz IV recipients are to be exempted from the additional contributions from 2011 onwards.

Who does not pay, currently receives so-called reminder letter or is contacted directly by phone. If you still do not react, you will receive further reminders. If the defaulting payer still does not react, the health insurance fund could initiate an enforcement procedure. But so far it has not become known that actually a health insurance company resorted to such coercive measures. Because the effort is far too big, considering that these are minimal sums. "But that would be a very big effort - especially considering that in most cases it is about eight euros", said Kai Vogel from the consumer center North Rhine-Westphalia to "World Online".

The health insurance companies themselves are not pleased that the additional contributions are not collected directly with the regular contribution automatically. Many members also do not understand the procedure or simply do not know why they should transfer the additional amount. Also missing it the cash on the necessary infrastructure. "We had to set up a completely new system of accounts because we have to collect the additional contributions from our customers directly," said a spokeswoman for "BKK Gesundheit". Now, the coffers hope for the policy, who have at least recognized the problem and want to act now. The planned late payment premium would be a start, so that missing contributions can nevertheless be collected.

Do insured persons have to expect to get out of the system of statutory health insurance if they do not pay? The answer is no, because in Germany there is a compulsory insurance. At most, health insurances can reduce healthcare to emergency care if a member is at least three months behind. So far, however, it is not known here that individual health insurance funds would have resorted to this drastic measure. (Sb)

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