But no performance cuts
Lauterbach announces higher health insurance contributions
6/13/2023 1:56 am
The statutory health insurance companies are assuming a financial gap in the billions next year. The Treasury will not step into the breach. Federal Health Minister Lauterbach expects that the insured will have to pay more in the future.
Members of statutory health insurance must be prepared for further increases in contributions. “Finance Minister Christian Lindner has made it clear that the tax subsidies for statutory health insurance cannot be increased,” said Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach to the German editorial network. “With me there will be no cuts in benefits. The contribution rate to statutory health insurance will therefore have to rise slightly again next year.”
After secure finances in 2023, the statutory health insurance funds expect another deficit next year. The central association expects a gap of between 3.5 billion and 7 billion euros. Without countermeasures, this would result in an increase in the average additional contribution of 0.2 to 0.4 percentage points. The contribution rates had already risen at many health insurers at the turn of the year. The general contribution rate is currently 14.6 percent, the average additional contribution is 1.6 percent.
Lauterbach rejected calls for an increase in the contribution assessment ceiling. In order to do this, the compulsory insurance limit would have to be raised at the same time, he told the newspapers. “But that’s ruled out by the coalition agreement.” He himself would have “no problem raising the compulsory insurance limit and the contribution assessment limit,” said Lauterbach. “But I keep my agreements.”
Contributions to statutory health insurance are due on income up to the contribution assessment limit; income above this is non-contributory. If your income is above the compulsory insurance limit, you can take out private health insurance.