In the first half of the year, the statutory health insurance funds in Germany recorded a deficit of approximately 600 million euros. This is due to the fact that the legislator has obliged the funds to transfer a total of 2.5 billion euros of their assets to the health fund this year, as stated by the authorities.BundesgesundheitsministeriumIn the first half of the year, the 96 statutory health insurance funds had to contribute 1.25 billion euros.
Kassenfinanzen ohne diesen Beitrag nicht stabilisiert werden können.KrankenkassenThe ministry explained that a surplus of approximately 600 million euros was achieved in the first six months. The financial reserves of the health insurance funds still amounted to twice the legally required minimum reserve, reaching 9.7 billion euros at the end of the first half of the year.
The contributions of the insured, employers, and government funds go into the Health Fund. According to the ministry, it has a liquidity reserve of twelve billion euros and had a deficit of 5.6 billion euros in the first half of the year. This is typical for the season, as the expenses of the Health Fund are consistently paid to health insurance companies on a monthly basis. However, the income of the fund fluctuates significantly, especially in the fourth quarter when it is higher due to annual special payments such as Christmas bonuses.
Lauterbach: Keine hohen Beitragssatzsteigerungen
Den Einnahmen der gesetzlichen Krankenkassen von 151,1 Milliarden Euro standen Ausgaben in Höhe von 151,8 Milliarden Euro gegenüber. Die Ausgaben für Leistungen und Verwaltungskosten wuchsen um 4,6 Prozent.
The contribution income, excluding additional contributions, increased by 5.9 percent compared to the same period last year. This was due to recent tariff wage increases, according to the ministry. The increase in the statutory minimum wage to twelve euros per hour and the reduction of short-time work also had a positive impact.
Bundesgesundheitsminister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) verwies darauf, dass hohe Beitragssatzsteigerungen ausgeblieben seien. Sein Ziel bleibe weiterhin, „keine Leistungen für die Versicherten zu kürzen und die Beitragszahler nicht über Gebühr zu belasten“.