Soaring health insurance expenses

Skyrocketing health insurance expenses

Federal Health Minister Nina Warken is delving into the financial development of statutory health insurance in the first half of the year, following the release of new spending figures by approximately 90 statutory health insurers.

According to the data, health insurance spending increased significantly. The spending on medicines rose by 6% to 28.9 billion euros, while doctors' fees increased by 7.8% to 27.0 billion euros. Hospital treatments spending saw the highest jump, increasing by 9.6% to 54.5 billion euros. In total, health insurance spending amounted to 166.1 billion euros, marking a 7.95% increase over the same period last year.

These figures, provided by the health insurers' association, come after the insurers achieved a surplus of 1.8 billion euros in 2024, following record deficits. However, the surplus should not be seen as a sign of complacency, according to the health insurers' association.

The chairman of the health insurers' association, Oliver Blatt, has called for a spending moratorium and structural reforms to prevent the gap between spending and income from widening further and "return to stable finances". He emphasised that such increases in spending cannot continue, as no health system in the world can sustain them in the long term.

Blatt, who has been vocal about his desire to make reforms noticeable for insured persons in everyday life, such as through faster doctor's appointments, also highlighted the necessary rebuilding of reserves. However, the dynamic spending development makes this uncertain.

The surplus of 2.8 billion euros is needed to replenish the statutory reserves of the insurers, which had been depleted in recent years. Blatt warned that such reserves are crucial for the long-term financial stability of the statutory health insurance system.

In light of these developments, Minister Warken's discussion on the financial development of statutory health insurance is expected to shed light on the government's plans to address the rising spending and ensure the sustainability of the health insurance system.