Coalition plans to abolish free co-insurance for spouses

The German federal government plans to eliminate free co-insurance for spouses in statutory health and long-term care insurance. The move aims to plug budget shortfalls at health insurance funds and will make coverage more expensive for many families. Handelsblatt learned of this from coalition sources.

Reports from Berlin indicate that statutory health and long-term care insurance could become noticeably more expensive for many families. Millions of statutorily insured individuals currently benefit from free co-insurance for their spouses. The coalition aims to abolish this provision to address budget shortfalls at the health insurance funds. Handelsblatt obtained this information from coalition circles. Economists have praised the planned measure.

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Federal Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) presented far-reaching savings plans for statutory health insurance (GKV) at a press conference in Berlin on Tuesday. She intends to implement more than three-quarters of an expert commission's 66 proposals to save 20 billion euros starting next year. The funds currently face a deficit of about 15 billion euros.

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