Health insurance contributions for German citizens are facing a significant increase, potentially reaching three percent within the next six months. This projection, voiced by Oliver Blatt, the newly appointed chairman of the German Statutory Health Insurance Association (GKV-Spitzenverband), comes despite planned government loans designed to alleviate the financial strain on the system.
Speaking to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Blatt emphasized that the anticipated loans from the federal budget are insufficient to prevent the rise. He attributed the escalating costs to a rapid surge in expenditures, stating that the combination of general contributions and the supplemental charge could push the total burden on employers and employees close to 18 percent, significantly higher than the current average of 14.6 percent plus the existing 2.5 percent supplemental charge.
The government’s 2025 budget draft proposes a multi-billion euro credit line for health and care insurance providers to avoid further increases, but Blatt dismissed this as “political window dressing” and inadequate. He noted that even after the largest ever supplemental contribution increase at the beginning of the year, eight health insurance funds have already been compelled to raise rates, with six more requesting permission to do so.
While some within the Social Democratic Party (SPD), including new General Secretary Tim Klüssendorf, have suggested raising the income threshold for health insurance contributions, Blatt cautioned against this approach, labeling it a “short-sighted” measure that would ultimately constitute a contribution increase for specific income brackets.
Blatt advocated for alternative cost-reduction strategies, specifically calling for measures to limit the profits of pharmaceutical companies, arguing that the prices of numerous patented drugs are excessively high. He also highlighted issues with the financing of care services, urging federal states to fulfill their legal obligations regarding investment costs and expressing a need for financial equalization with the private care insurance sector. He argued that the latter would substantially strengthen the social care insurance system.
