Healthcare: Health insurance companies warn against watering down the austerity package

“Then our finances will blow up in our faces”

The billion-dollar savings package is expected to be passed in the Bundestag next week. Without courageous and far-reaching reforms, it would not be possible to prevent rising contributions again, said the GKV boss. “In the first few months of the year, health insurance expenses rose twice as fast as income,” warned Blatt. “If we don’t act quickly and decisively, our finances will blow up in our faces at the turn of the year.”

The coalition’s plan is intended to relieve the statutory health insurance companies of sharply increasing expenses in 2027 in order to prevent further increases in contributions. To this end, increases in remuneration in practices, clinics and the pharmaceutical industry should be limited. Patients face higher co-payments for medications and restrictions on free co-insurance for spouses.

It’s about more than 18 billion euros

An expected gap of 18.8 billion euros is to be closed next year. However, details are still being debated. There are strong protests against the plans from the healthcare sector, but also from the pharmaceutical industry and patient representatives. The statutory health insurance physicians had warned that they would subsequently have to reduce their range of services.

Blatt demanded “that the Bundestag withstand the lobbying pressure from the pharmaceutical industry, hospitals and the medical profession”. Insured people and employers have submitted “and have already contributed more than an appropriate share of the financing and savings plans,” he emphasized, referring to the increased additional contributions and the planned increase in additional payments and contribution assessment limits.

© dpa-infocom, dpa:260704-930-331613/1

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