DAK boss warns of bankruptcies: "Mr. Lauterbach thinks too short-term here"

Created: 07/20/2022, 18:55

By: Sebastian Horsch

DAK boss Andreas Storm warns of bankruptcies in the Merkur interview.

© Christoph Soeder/dpa

The head of the health insurance company DAK, Andreas Storm, warns in the Merkur interview that health insurance companies could face “existential difficulties” in the coming year.

Mr. Storm, the statutory health insurance companies are facing a financial deficit.

How big is it?

On behalf of DAK-Gesundheit, the IGES Institute has calculated that the statutory health insurance will face a funding gap of around 19 billion euros in the coming year.

In 2024, this gap will increase to around 25 billion euros and will already be around 30 billion euros in 2025.

That surpasses the assessment of Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach, who assumes a gap of 17 billion euros in 2023.

Yes, that's right because, among other things, you have to include the effects of high inflation.

This increases expenses.

We also calculated what it would mean if the German economy were to slide into recession due to a gas embargo.

Then we would be faced with a deficit of around 24 billion euros as early as next year.

What does this mean for the insured?

Mr. Lauterbach presented key points for a financial stabilization law, with which the increase in contributions is initially to be limited to 0.3 points.

According to our current analysis, the increase will actually be even higher.

In addition, most of the current draft law is one-off measures.

This would mean that another massive increase in premiums would be required as early as 2024 in order to close the financial gap.

The minister's proposals are far from sufficient and would destabilize the finances of health insurance companies.

DAK boss Storm criticizes Minister of Health: "Mr. Lauterbach thinks too short-term here"

Lauterbach draws on cash reserves, among other things, to ensure that the contributions do not increase even further.

Of course you don't like it.

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Mr. Lauterbach is thinking too short-term here.

He would like to reduce the reserves to such an extent that the average of the cash register landscape would fall below the legally prescribed minimum reserves as early as next year.

If there were then even greater spending pressure, one must expect that a large number of health insurance companies would find themselves in serious financial difficulties.

The law is expected to be passed in the cabinet next week.

What do you think needs to be changed first?

The planned reduction in reserves is completely oversized.

In addition, it is unacceptable that the statutory health insurance should receive a loan that they have to repay by 2026.

Where else is the money supposed to come from?

The coalition agreement states that the health insurers should finally receive adequate funding for their expenses for recipients of basic security.

This has to happen now.

In addition, we are in favor of a reduction in VAT on pharmaceuticals, which would also relieve the health insurers.

Why are the cash registers now facing such big problems?

The financing gap has several causes: One is the demographic development.

In addition, the pleasing advances in medical technology are causing higher costs.

At the same time, wages and pensions – and thus also health insurance contributions – have developed below average compared to the growth in expenditure.

DAK boss attacks Lauterbach predecessor Spahn

What role does Lauterbach's predecessor Jens Spahn play?

Legislation in the past legislative period has further accelerated spending growth.

This is one of the reasons why the funding gap has widened.

In addition, it was Spahn who first touched the reserves of the health insurance companies.

During his tenure, there were initially cushions of around 17 billion euros.

At the beginning of the year it was just under ten billion.

If it's skimmed off again now, it's down to the substance.

There are almost 100 statutory health insurance companies in Germany.

Wouldn't it be possible to save here too?

At the beginning of the 1990s, there were still well over a thousand health insurance companies in this country.

So a lot has happened since then.

This process will certainly continue.

But driving it by possibly bringing a third of the statutory health insurance system into existential difficulties in the next year is certainly not a sensible strategy.

At the same time, competition brings great benefits.

Innovative projects are thus better promoted.

In addition, more than 95 percent of health insurance expenditures are benefit expenditures.

So management costs are not the problem.

In addition, the increase in material administrative costs is capped at three percent in Lauterbach's reform law.