Federal Health Minister Nina Warken aims to prevent higher health insurance contributions from 2026 through cost reductions. The Health Ministry's draft proposes savings on administrative costs and hospital remunerations. Experts still warn of rising contributions.
Federal Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) plans to counteract new increases in health insurance contributions starting next year with cost reductions. This includes limits on expenditure growth for hospital remunerations and administrative costs of the funds. The proposals come from a Health Ministry draft now in internal consultations.
Specifically, 100 million euros are to be saved on administrative costs of the funds, such as postage or advertising campaigns, as reported by news agency dpa. A reduced contribution to an innovation fund for care research will save another 100 million euros. The savings from regulations on clinic remunerations are not quantified in the paper.
GKV-Spitzenverband head Oliver Blatt welcomed the proposals: "For the 75 million statutory insured, it is good that concrete proposals are finally on the table to stabilize the financial situation at least temporarily." Despite planned financial injections for 2026, a gap of two billion euros remains.
Techniker Krankenkasse CEO Jens Baas warned of significant contribution increases. In an interview with Bild am Sonntag, he said: "Health insurance contributions are approaching 'clearly the 20 percent' of income. That's already the pain threshold. How much more do you want to pay for your health insurance? Do you want to pay a quarter of your income for health insurance? That's crazy." By the end of the decade, contributions could reach the 20 percent mark.
Panel doctors' head Andreas Gassen suggested easing the obligation to submit sick notes in the first three days of illness to avoid unnecessary doctor visits. "This produces thousands of doctor visits that from our point of view are not necessarily necessary," he told the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland.
The federal government is under time pressure: The cabinet meets next Wednesday, and an estimation committee will present a forecast for the funds' finances in 2026. Early 2025 saw a wave of strong increases in additional contributions.