Statutory insured people in Saxony and Thuringia face premium increases in 2024: Financial experts warn of increasing burdens

Statutory insured people in Saxony and Thuringia face premium increases in 2024: Financial experts warn of increasing burdens

According to a report by www.lvz.de,
Bitter pill for those with statutory health insurance in Saxony and Thuringia: The health insurance companies are increasing contributions again. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach justifies this with the increasing expenditure of health insurance companies due to the aging population and technological progress. The statutory health insurance companies themselves are expecting a deficit of over 3 billion euros, which could theoretically lead to an increase in contributions of 0.2 percentage points.

For AOK Plus, the additional contribution will rise from January 1st by 0.3 percent to 1.8 percent, which increases the contribution for around 3.5 million insured people to 16.4 percent. Barmer is increasing its additional contribution significantly by 0.69 percent to 2.19 percent, which will increase the contribution rate to 16.79 percent in the new year. The IKK Classic also increases the additional contribution from 1.6 to 1.7 percent, which in turn reaches the national average of 16.3 percent. The commercial health insurance company KKH increases the contribution by 0.1 percent to 16.58 percent. In contrast, the DAK Gesundheit keeps its contribution at 16.3 percent and the Techniker Krankenkasse keeps its contribution stable at 15.8 percent.

According to a survey by the opinion research institute Yougov, most Germans have little or no understanding of health insurance premium increases. Only eight percent completely agree with it.

The rising contributions could lead to a possible switch among insured persons to cheaper competing health insurance funds, especially if they offer additional services. The contributions to statutory health insurance consist of a contribution rate of 14.6 percent of the insured person's gross wage, plus an additional contribution that the health insurance companies themselves set in order to strengthen competition between them. In 2024, a contribution assessment limit of 62,100 euros per year will apply, which determines the income for contributions to statutory health and nursing care insurance.

LVZ