A few days before the planned cabinet decision on the health insurance reform, the Greens group in the Bundestag introduced their own alternative proposal to the draft presented by Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU). Their concept suggests that not only should contributions remain stable, but they should also be reduced by two percentage points starting at the beginning of next year.
According to the Funke media group’s online reports, this reduction would alleviate the burden on middle-income workers by approximately 420 euros per year. For employees earning at the contribution assessment ceiling, the estimated relief stands at a considerably higher 700 euros annually. Furthermore, businesses would benefit from annual savings totaling 15 billion euros.
In specific terms, the Greens advocate for several reforms, including financing the health insurance for recipients of Bürgergeld (citizen’s minimum income) through the state budget, mandating a higher manufacturer discount for pharmaceuticals, and strictly linking the expenditures of the Statutory Health Insurance to the development of its revenue.
The Greens faction is scheduled for a closed-door meeting in Leipzig on Tuesday, where they intend to formally adopt the concept. The cabinet is set to introduce the draft from the Warken ministry on Wednesday. Minister Warken aims to provide relief to the Statutory Health Insurance amounting to almost 20 billion euros in 2027. However, the Greens point out that the Health Finance Commission had identified a potential savings volume of 42 billion euros. They argue that if certain measures are weakened, others must be implemented with even greater consistency.
Britta Haßelmann, co-chair of the Greens parliamentary group, told the Funke papers that the Health Minister’s current proposal represents “a clear imbalance”. She asserted that it is possible to simultaneously strengthen the health system and lower the insurance contributions for everyone. Addressing the government, Haßelmann criticized them for establishing a reform commission, apparently accepting its recommendations, and then failing to follow through on them.
