Krankenkassen: Informationspflicht bei Beitragserhöhung soll zurückkommen

Bundesgesundheitsminister Carsten Linnemann plans to reintroduce the mandatory information requirement for health insurance companies regarding contribution increases. "Contribution rates are crucial pieces of information for insured individuals," the CDU politician told the "Rheinische Post" on Saturday. "Health insurance companies should continue to provide personalized information to their members, either digitally through a health insurance app or in writing."

The focus is on building insured individuals' trust in the insurance companies. This rule is part of further changes in the contribution rate stabilization law, according to the newspaper. The reintroduction of this regulation was decided by the black-red coalition as part of the austerity package for health expenses, removing the obligation for health insurance companies to individually inform their members when they raise the supplementary contribution.

This decision was based on deregulation and eliminating all potential savings. So far, health insurance companies had to print and send millions of letters, with each letter costing between one and two euros according to industry estimates. Consumer protection organizations strongly criticized the removal of the information requirement and warned that insured individuals might not notice the increases in time, effectively nullifying an existing special cancellation right.

This right states that a general provision that one is bound to the current health insurance company for at least twelve months disappears upon a supplementary contribution increase. However, one must benefit from this special right until the end of the month in which the increased supplementary contribution first applies. The statutory health insurance association considers the possibility of digital information provision for insured individuals as essential.

"Of course, it is good and right that health insurance companies inform their insured individuals when there is a change in the contribution rate," said CEO Oliver Blatt of the "Rheinische Post" on Saturday. "What we do not need, however, are bureaucratic rules that do not bring any real added value but only increase administrative costs."

Blatt emphasized that for them, it is central to be able to use digital means for information provision. Each health insurance company decides on the supplementary contribution based on its financial situation, currently at an average of 3.1 percent. The total contribution shared by employees and employers also includes the uniform rate of 14.6 percent of the gross wage. More: Health insurance companies with half-yearly bonuses - "No warning"