Contributions to statutory health insurance could rise sharply by 2030. Significant increases are expected as early as the beginning of next year.
According to the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), statutory health insurance could reach contribution rates of up to 20 percent by the end of the decade. “Significant increases in contribution rates across the entire statutory health insurance system” are to be expected as early as the beginning of next year, TK CEO Jens Baas told the newspapers of the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) on Thursday. An increase of up to 0.6 points in the coming year is “entirely realistic.”
The increase will result in an average contribution of almost 17 percent, says Baas. “Just a few years ago, that was considered a completely absurd amount.” But the increase will continue: “We are moving unabated towards a contribution rate of 20 percent by the end of the decade – if no countermeasures are taken.”
The general contribution to statutory health insurance is currently 14.6 percent of income. In addition, there is an additional contribution that depends on the insurance company. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, this year it is on average 1.7 percent.
The head of Germany's largest health insurance company has blamed Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) for the rising costs. He called on the minister to take measures to stabilize the fund's finances.
“Politicians cannot always just make laws that lead to higher expenses,” said the TK boss. “We must finally also focus on how we can get the rising costs under control.”
TK boss Baas warned above all about rising costs for medication. “The prices for new drugs are exploding,” he said. The costs for new gene therapy drugs are now in the millions per treatment. “If developments continue like this, we will simply no longer be able to afford good medication. That must not happen.”
Baas is calling for a reform of the price negotiations between health insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry. At the same time, he is calling for prices that are based on the actual research and manufacturing costs. Japan is already taking this path and the USA is also planning to require manufacturers to disclose these costs. “Pharmaceutical companies should earn good money from innovative therapies,” said Baas. “But the prices must be fair and remain affordable.”
