Economist Martin Werding rejects the SPD’s proposal to introduce a new health contribution on dividends, interest income, or rental earnings. “That would turn the current social insurance system into a tax‑transfer mechanism that massively expands the existing redistribution, burdens many other forms of financial security, and distracts from the real need for reform” he told the “Handelsblatt” (Tuesday issue).
Werding argues that the German health system faces an expenditure problem, not a revenue problem. Therefore, he says, long‑term oriented reforms are necessary to deliver a better and more economical level of care, thereby curbing the sharp rise in costs and contribution rates seen in recent years. These reforms must include the rigorous implementation of the hospital reform, a limitation on the overuse of specialists, and a correction of the dynamic increase in pharmaceutical spending. He adds that short‑term cuts in services or even additional revenue mobilization are not sufficient solutions.
