In discussions over reforms to Germany’s health and nursing insurance, DGB boss Yasmin Fahimi has voiced strong opposition to both higher contributions and the trimming of benefits. She told reporters from the “Neue Berliner Redaktionsgesellschaft” on Wednesday that policymakers should not focus on trivial service cuts but instead secure solid care by curbing unjustified pressure on health funds.
Fahimi noted that premiums for health and nursing insurance have risen “without any immediate improvement in care” and that a reduction in contributions or a stripping of services would not solve the problem. She pointed to private‑equity firms that acquire hospitals and physician practices, citing their profit‑maximising motives at the expense of policyholders.
According to Fahimi, the health system must primarily serve people, not profit optimisation. She called for a debate on the appropriateness of profit extraction in healthcare, the possible need for limits, a review of budget distribution across health sectors, the pricing of services in claims, and the scrutiny of unusually high specialist fees.
