Federal Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) has ignited a debate regarding the number of statutory health insurance funds and potential requirements for stricter governance, as she considers various reforms. Speaking to “Bild am Sonntag”, she questioned the necessity of the current number of funds, asking, “Indeed, one can consider the funds: Are so many funds needed?”
In this context, Warken expressed openness to imposing new rules, specifically regarding the required size of these funds. She stated that it “would definitely be worth examining whether there should be a minimum insured number requirement for the health insurance funds”. Currently, this point is under review by a commission.
Addressing the criticism that the funds were not doing enough to contribute to savings within the healthcare system, the Minister responded that she had already incorporated mandatory savings measures into her proposal. She noted that she had actually introduced “more requirements for the health insurance funds than the commission had proposed”. Specifically, she pointed to planned limits on expenditure, including capping administrative costs, restricting advertising budgets, and regulating the compensation of board members and senior staff.
On the separate topic of implementing a tax on sugary drinks, Warken indicated that the matter is still under discussion. While acknowledging that the tax was a suggestion from the commission, she stated that, as Health Minister, she supports the measure if it helps people adopt healthier lifestyles and if the country follows paths taken by other nations, such as regarding sugar consumption. She concluded that implementing such a tax could be a beneficial preventive measure, although she noted that there is still room for discussion within the federal government concerning this issue.
