Federal Health Minister Carsten Linnemann (CDU) announced that statutory health insurance funds will once again be obligated to inform their members about planned premium increases. Linnemann stated to the “Rheinische Post” that premium rates constitute crucial information for insured individuals. He emphasized that the health funds must continue to provide personalized notifications, whether digitally through a dedicated health insurance app or in writing, underscoring the importance of maintaining the public’s trust in these institutions.
The Federal Health Ministry has confirmed that restoring this obligation will take place as part of the implementation of further changes within the Premium Rate Stabilization Act. This requirement had previously been removed as part of a recent austerity package adopted by the CDU-SPD coalition, which was intended to prevent rate hikes in the coming year. The initial removal of the information duty was justified by the goal of reducing bureaucracy and generating saving potential within the statutory health insurance funds. However, consumer protection advocates had strongly criticized the initial decision to abolish the duty.
