Christos Pantazis, the health policy spokesman for the SPD parliamentary group, praised the forecast from the GKV Assessment Group, which suggests that the average supplementary contribution in statutory health insurance can remain at 2.9 percent in 2027. Pantazis told the newspapers of the Funke Media Group that the findings are highly encouraging. He said that the Contribution Rate Stabilization Act appears to succeed in keeping the necessary average supplementary contribution at 2.9 percent even in the coming year. This is good news for the approximately 75 million statutory insured individuals, as well as for employees, employers, and Germany’s business location.
However, Pantazis pointed out that the required consolidation in 2027 has increased during the parliamentary process by another 3.5 billion euros, rising from an original 15.3 billion euros to 18.8 billion euros. Despite this increase, they succeeded in reducing the share of consolidation measures borne directly by insured persons from an original 26 percent to roughly 14 percent prospectively.
According to Pantazis, stabilizing the financing of the GKV must be socially balanced. The SPD is committed to securing the performance of the health system without unilaterally shifting the financial burden onto the insured.
The assessment group previously predicted on Wednesday that the average supplementary contribution rate must sit at 2.9 percent in 2027 to cover expenses. The Federal Health Ministry indicated that the Contribution Rate Stabilization Act is expected to relieve the health insurance funds by up to 15 billion euros on the expenditure side next year. Consequently, the increase in spending is expected to fall from nearly seven percent this year to less than three percent in 2027. However, the Federal Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds forecasts an average supplementary contribution of 3.13 percent for 2026.
Pantazis warned that this short-term stabilization must pave the way for further reforms. He stated that short-term stabilization creates a critical foundation necessary to decisively push forward structural reforms. The second report by the Health Finance Committee, expected in December, should provide further important momentum for this process. He concluded by reaffirming the goal of a permanently solid, fair, and solidarity-based financing of statutory health insurance, the efficient use of existing resources, and high-quality medical care for all people.
