Skyrocketing Health Insurance Costs
In a recent report, it has been announced that the statutory health insurance system in Germany has achieved a surplus of 2.8 billion euros in the first half of the year. This significant improvement from the 1.8 billion euros surplus at the end of March marks a positive development for the system, which has faced challenges in recent years due to depletion of the statutory minimum reserves.
The surplus is mainly attributed to a 7.8% increase in spending on doctors, reaching 27.0 billion euros, and a 6% increase in spending on pharmaceuticals, amounting to 28.9 billion euros. However, the largest cost block, hospital treatments, saw a 9.6% increase, surpassing the 7.9% increase from the same period in 2024, amounting to 54.5 billion euros.
Oliver Blatt, chairman of the GKV-Spitzenverband, has welcomed the surplus but has expressed concerns about its sustainability. He advocates for a spending moratorium and structural reforms to prevent the gap between spending and income from widening further. Blatt's concerns about the sustainability of the current spending increases extend to all health systems worldwide.
Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken (CDU) will discuss the financial development of statutory health insurance in the first half of the year on Friday. There has been no mention of any new discussions or meetings involving Minister Warken.
Blatt's long-term goal is to achieve stable finances for the health insurance system. He aims for long-term prevention of the gap between spending and income from widening further. The health insurance system had record deficits in 2024, and Blatt's focus remains on ensuring that the surplus is urgently needed to replenish the statutory minimum reserves of the insurers.
Despite the surplus, Blatt has emphasised that it is not a sign of long-term financial stability for the health insurance system. He proposes faster doctor's appointments as a noticeable short-term change for insured persons, but the focus remains on long-term structural reforms to ensure the sustainability of the system.
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