Oliver Blatt, the Chairman of the GKV-Spitzenverband, is rejecting calls for a government-enforced reduction in the number of statutory health insurance funds. Speaking to the Funke media group, Blatt firmly maintains his conviction that arbitrarily reducing the number of health funds would not help make the healthcare system more efficient. He noted that he is unaware of any scientist advocating for such a measure, nor did the Finance Commission for Health endorse it.
This stance contrasts sharply with comments made by Federal Health Minister Carsten Linnemann (CDU). Linnemann reaffirmed in the summer that he considers a significantly smaller number of health funds sufficient, stating at the time that he would not take back his statement. A commission is set to submit a final report by the end of the year. Back in April, Linnemann had demanded that the current number of over 90 funds be halved at a minimum, believing ten funds would be enough. He also specified a minimum size of 200,000 or 250,000 members as a prerequisite for any merger.
The minister emphasized to the Funke media group that the Finance Commission for Health will present its report in December, a document that will also cover the topic of health insurance funds. Based on the report’s findings, reforms will be implemented in the following year.
Nonetheless, Blatt considers the potential savings achieved through such mandates to be minimal. He pointed out that thanks to competition, health funds currently maintain a very low administrative overhead of about four percent. He explained that the majority of this cost is personnel wages. “We want to continue to be available to insured persons and answer the phone, and for that, we need staff,” he stated. Furthermore, observing the situation in Austria, Blatt noted that state-mandated concentration does not automatically lead to savings.
Blatt added that the funds themselves are already working towards more efficient operations, including leveraging artificial intelligence. He noted that the process of concentration is already underway; by the beginning of the year, the number of funds will likely be less than 90, despite having exceeded 1,000 around 30 years ago. While mergers are sensible if they yield economic benefits, he questioned the political imperative: “Why should there be exactly 20 funds politically-and not 50 or ten? Competition should regulate that.” He concluded that the Finance Commission can examine whether there are further efficiency reserves available.
In contrast, SPD politician Christos Pantazis expressed support for consolidating the health insurance funds. Pantazis told the Funke media group that he believes it is necessary to critically examine the historically formed structure of the health insurance landscape and consistently utilize opportunities for a more efficient organization. He argued that efficiency gains could be achieved through consolidated administrative tasks, the elimination of duplicate structures, and leaner processes. However, the Bundestag member emphasized that the quality of the structures, competition, and the freedom of choice for insured persons remain crucial factors.
