A deficit of 17 billion euros is expected in statutory health insurance for 2023 – according to Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, this is historic proportions. In Germany, around 73 million insured persons are cared for by one of the 96 statutory health insurance companies, which corresponds to around 90 percent of the population.
In an interview with the “Handelsblatt”, the Minister of Health announced that the insured would hardly be able to avoid higher contributions if Finance Minister Christian Lindner stuck to the debt brake. In this case, rising additional wage costs would hardly be avoidable. However, Lauterbach did not want to give concrete figures regarding the increase in contributions.
However, Lauterbach rejected another proposal for financing the health system: The economist Bernd Raffelhüschen proposes that those with statutory health insurance should pay a deductible of up to 2000 euros per year.
“These proposals would be affordable for university professors like Mr. Raffelhüschen or me,” Lauterbach tweeted. “For the vast majority of the population, that’s not possible.”
The economist Raffelhüschen, who, in addition to his scientific work at the University of Freiburg, used to sit on the supervisory board of the insurance group Ergo, wants the graduated deductible with a state social compensation. “The subsidies, for example for low earners, must come from the federal budget.”
Raffelhüschen also advocated that insured persons should pay for injuries after self-chosen risks – such as skiing – in full themselves. “Smokers must also contribute more to the follow-up costs of treatments themselves,” he demanded.
Otherwise, unless countermeasures are taken, the contribution rate will rise to up to 22 percent of gross wages by 2035, the economist warned. It is currently – including the additional contribution – an average of just under 16 percent, depending on the health insurance company.
According to Raffelhüschen’s plans, patients should in future receive an invoice after visiting the doctor and pass it on to the health insurance company, “which then assumes a large part of the costs”.
There should be several levels for patient participation. It should be capped at “a total of 1,500 or 2,000 euros per year,” said Raffelhüschen. (tsp, dpa)
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Source: Tagesspiegel
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