Leading statutory health insurance funds are looking at potential possibilities for reducing contribution rates during the planned health care reform, but they are simultaneously setting clear expectations for politicians.
Jens Baas, CEO of Techniker Krankenkasse, advised the “Bild-Zeitung” that the ball is now in the political realm. He stressed that politicians must remain consistent and avoid diluting the reform’s goals. Baas also pointed out additional areas for savings, such as fair financing for the costs of illness for recipients of the Bürgergeld benefit or finding savings within pharmaceutical expenses. He stated that if these measures were implemented consistently, rate reductions would become possible.
Andreas Storm, CEO of DAK, echoed these concerns regarding the planning process. When speaking to “Bild” he noted that based on the current legislative draft, contribution rate reductions are considered unrealistic. Storm presented clear prerequisites for any reduction, stating that contribution rates could only be lowered if the costs for health benefits for Bürgergeld recipients were fully funded through state tax revenues. He concluded by outlining a specific scenario: Storm suggested that if federal funds were responsible for covering these costs entirely, gradually, by 2030, a reduction of 0.5 percentage points would be achievable.
