Voices in Germany are demanding financial consequences for those who refuse vaccinations from the health insurance company. First the Bavarian Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (57) demanded such. Tübingen’s Lord Mayor Boris Palmer (49) now supports this demand. “I am expressly in favor of raising the cash contributions if someone who could be vaccinated consciously refuses the injection,” said the Green politician of the FAZ.
It is no longer taboo in Germany for unvaccinated people to pay higher insurance premiums. Palmer: “Anyone who is so disagreeable that he endangers himself and others, causes unnecessary costs and may compete with other patients in hospital beds, cannot demand the solidarity of the statutory health insurance.” However, the mandatory vaccination is even more important, according to Palmer. March as the beginning is too late.
The chairman of the conference of health ministers, Klaus Holetschek (CSU), had previously proposed not only to impose fines in the event of violations of the planned general corona vaccination obligation. He also advocates financial consequences for the health insurance company. “The risk for unvaccinated people to get seriously ill with Corona is significantly higher,” said Holetschek to the “RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland”. Higher health insurance contributions for unvaccinated people, a contribution to the treatment costs or the cancellation of sickness benefits would be possible.
Lifestyle of the insured
Reactions to the proposals of the two politicians followed promptly and vehemently. Lawyers, medical and clinic associations as well as several parliamentary groups objected vehemently. Such a regulation would indirectly determine the lifestyle of the insured, said the former Vice President of the Federal Constitutional Court, Ferdinand Kirchhof: “This is the problem of fundamental rights: It creates an indirect compulsion to vaccinate, not to smoke or to not exercise.”
The umbrella association of German health insurance companies speaks of the “solidarity principle”. The entitlement to medical services is not based on the contribution amount, but solely on the medical necessity. There is also the “principle of self-fault” if an insured person deliberately contract an illness or a crime.
According to economists and politicians, there are implementation problems with all proposals in the direction of more financial responsibility. This would be a clear break with the previous principle of not making cost sharing dependent on health behavior, such as exercise, diet, stress or dangerous sports. (kes)