Health insurance contributions are to rise drastically: This is how much employees pay

Health insurance contributions are to rise drastically: This is how much employees pay

Health insurance contributions are expected to rise significantly in 2025, which will place a noticeable burden on households. In particular, the additional contribution is to be increased from the current 1.7 percent to 2.45 percent. This increase is part of Health Minister Karl Lauterbach's clinic reform, which is expected to lead to higher contributions. Andreas Storm, the head of the health insurance company DAK-Gesundheit, had already warned at the end of March of a significant increase in contributions. He predicted an increase of 0.5 percentage points for health insurance and 0.2 points for long-term care insurance at the beginning of 2025.

The third largest statutory health insurance company assumes that there will be a deficit of up to 2.5 billion euros in health insurance by the end of the year. This development is expected to result in hefty increases, although governments typically try to keep contributions stable in an election year. The umbrella organization of company health insurance companies agrees with this assessment and expects the additional contribution to increase to 2.45 percent plus X. The increasing contributions will lead to real income losses for employees, as calculations by the Bild newspaper show.

Health Minister Lauterbach's reforms, in particular the hospital reform, aim to adjust the remuneration of clinics and prevent the impending death of clinics. A transformation fund worth 50 billion euros is to be created by 2035, with half of the funds to be provided by statutory health insurance companies. This approach leads to criticism because it is seen as redistribution from the bottom up. Civil servants and privately insured people are not involved in financing, which is viewed by some as constitutionally problematic. The government intends to pass the hospital reform this year.