"Let's patch things up, then change the game" - Klingbeil promises a cash infusion to struggling health insurers
Klingbeil pledges injection of funds into the health insurance sector
Lars Klingbeil, the German Finance Minister, has announced plans to inject money from the federal budget into faltering health and long-term care insurance systems. But he warned against relying on tax money as a permanent solution for these issues. The exact amount of the subsidy remains unclear.
Klingbeil's announcement follows a call for help from the new Health Minister. He reassured the public that a strong social safety net should be reliable and asserted, "We should be a bit more creative than just demanding that people work longer or cut services in the healthcare system." Additionally, he defended the proposal by Social Democratic Labor Minister Barbara Bas to include civil servants in the statutory pension insurance. "That's an important debate and we need this openness," Klingbeil said, despite objections from the Chancellery.
Federal Health Minister Nina Warken initially demanded billions in federal funding to improve the financial situation of both insurance systems and prevent further hikes in contribution rates. Both insurance branches are in the red, and Warken pointed out that the federal government is responsible for the multi-billion-euro deficits incurred by uncovered contributions for citizens' allowance recipients and non-insurance-related services stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Klingbeil did not directly address her arguments and has not yet disclosed the size of the promised federal subsidy. However, he emphasized the need for "fundamental and courageous" structural reforms outlined in the coalition agreement. These reforms aim to modernize and strengthen social security systems, including health, long-term care, and pension insurance, without burdening insured individuals excessively.
Key points to remember:- Federal subsidy for health and long-term care insurance systems.- Financial deficits due to uncovered contributions for citizens' allowance recipients and non-insurance-related COVID-19 services.- Need for innovative, sustainable, and fair funding solutions for social security systems.- Debate on including civil servants in the statutory pension system.- 'Frühstart-Rente', company pension schemes, and partial tax exemptions for pensioners in workplace supporting reforms.
Sources: ntv.de, mau
Related topics:- Lars Klingbeil- Health insurance companies- Statutory health insurance- Long-term care insurance- Nina Warken- Social security reforms- Pension insurance reforms.
- Concerns regarding the financial stability of health and long-term care insurance systems are being addressed by German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, who has proposed infusing funds from the federal budget into these systems, yet warns against relying on this as a permanent solution.
- As part of the ongoing social security reforms, there is a debate about including civil servants in the statutory pension insurance, with Finance Minister Klingbeil stating that such a decision is an important and necessary part of the discourse.
- Struggling health insurance companies are calling for billions in federal funding to improve their financial situation and prevent further contribution rate hikes, with the federal government responsible for addressing multi-billion-euro deficits caused by uncovered contributions for citizens' allowance recipients and non-insurance-related COVID-19 services.
