In response to current events, Stiftung Warentest is examining what the insolvency of a health insurance company can mean for consumers.
Berlin - A health insurance company goes bankrupt and suddenly consumers have to pay for services themselves - can that happen?
No, stated the Stiftung Warentest in a report from Saturday, August 14, 2021.
However, a health insurance company with payment difficulties can certainly cancel extras or reduce subsidies.
Although only one health insurance company is currently reporting liquidity bottlenecks, money is generally scarcer: the funds are short of around 1.9 billion, says Barmer boss Christoph Straub.
There is therefore bad news in the coming year for all 70 million statutory health insurance patients in Germany.
BKK24 reports "liquidity bottlenecks": This prompted Stiftung Warentest to investigate
As
a precaution, the
health
insurance
company
BKK24
reported a possible liquidity bottleneck to the responsible Federal Social Security Office (BAS) in August. It is not an application for bankruptcy, announced the fund in a press release. You just met the legal requirements. "It is important to emphasize that the current situation has no impact on the insurance coverage of the BKK24 insurance community," the message continues.
Stiftung Warentest took this message as an opportunity to examine exactly what would happen in the event of a health insurance company becoming insolvent.
However, the consumer advocates have given the all-clear: The BAS has not received any further reports at the moment.
Insolvencies of health insurances have not been particularly frequent up to now either: There are around 100 insurers in Germany, in the past ten years
a total of two insolvencies
- the
BKK für Heilberufe
and
City BKK
- have filed for bankruptcy.
This is based on data from the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds.
Stiftung Warentest: These options are available in the event of a liquidity bottleneck
The Stiftung Warentest has three different consequences in the event of a liquidity shortage of a health insurance company. One option would initially be to increase the additional contribution. The
BKK24
is currently comparatively cheap at one percent and thus a total of 15.60 percent, so there is room for improvement here. A time limit for the higher contribution would also be an option from the point of view of the product testers.
If this does not solve the problem, a merger with other health insurance companies would also be conceivable.
That happened more often in the past.
In 1970 there were over 1,800 statutory health insurance companies across Germany.
As a result of mergers and acquisitions, the number has shrunk to around 100 today.
Only if a merger were out of the question would the last resort be to close the health insurance company.
Insolvency of a health insurance company: These are the consequences for customers
The good news first: If the bankruptcy of a cash register could not be averted, all statutory benefits for customers are still secured. No doctor or hospital should turn away customers. In principle, Stiftung Warentest not only promises statutory minimum benefits, but also additional benefits. For
example,
BKK24
offers additional offers such as a subsidy for professional teeth cleaning of 45 euros - twice a year. Customers could continue to make use of this. However, the fund can cancel these extras in an emergency or reduce the subsidies. However, what is medically necessary and required by law will still be paid for. Regardless of whether it is a visit to the doctor or therapy.
Even if a health insurance company simply can no longer pay, there is a solution: Other health insurance companies have to step in.
Consumers are generally well protected.
Nevertheless, there is also a need for action for policyholders: If the fund finally closes, customers will be informed and then have six weeks to look for a new insurer.
If you fail to do this, you will automatically be registered in the cash register in which you were last.
If this is unknown, the responsible body will choose a health insurance company.
Incidentally, anyone who wants to change
based on the last report from
BKK24
has no special right of termination.
So the rule still applies: Anyone who has been a member for at least twelve months can cancel at any time.
The notice period is then two months to the end of the month.
70 million cash patients affected: increase in contributions in 2022
However, there is bad news for all those with statutory health insurance: The costs of the health insurance companies are expected to increase significantly in the coming year.
Because the health insurance companies are currently missing around 1.9 billion euros.
An employee with a gross wage of EUR 2,500 per month would then pay around EUR 8.75 more per month.
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