Health: Health insurance association announces further premium increases

According to their umbrella organization, the statutory health insurance companies will also increase their contribution rates in 2026. “I am optimistic that the increases at the turn of the year in health insurance will be sufficient for 2025. But it is already clear today that there will have to be further increases in 2026,” said the CEO of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds, Doris Pfeiffer, to the “Rheinische Post “.

This will only be necessary for the hospital reform, which the health insurance companies are supposed to help finance. However, Pfeiffer emphasized: “We consider this regulation as a whole to be unconstitutional and are currently examining the possibilities of a constitutional lawsuit against it.”

Expenditures are rising “practically unabated”

Despite premium increases that have already taken place, a deficit of 5.5 billion euros has accumulated in statutory health insurance for the past year. “For around ten years we have seen health ministers who are good at increasing spending through new laws, but who fail to take the stability of contribution rates into account,” Pfeiffer told the newspaper.

Spending on hospitals and medicines would rise “practically unchecked” without improving patient care. Instead of reforming the structures, politicians cleared away the health insurance companies’ reserves. The result is higher contributions.

2025 will bring higher social contributions for many citizens

According to the evaluation of comparison portals, the majority of statutory health insurance funds will increase their additional contributions on January 1st – in some cases by significantly more than one percentage point. The contribution rate for long-term care insurance will also increase by 0.2 percentage points following the final approval of the Federal Council. Taken together, this results in a significant additional burden for millions of employees.

The President of the Taxpayers’ Association, Reiner Holznagel, told “Bild”: “The exploding costs of care, pensions and health insurance must urgently be contained. For many people, the new year begins with a noticeable deficit in their wallets. In the election campaign, this must be done Relieving the burden on citizens should finally be a priority.” He called on the parties to present concepts for relieving the burden on employees.