As of: February 13, 2024, 4:46 a.m
By: Amy Walker
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Pensioners have not yet felt the increase in health insurance contributions at the turn of the year.
The reason is a legal requirement that relieves the burden on seniors.
Berlin – At the beginning of the year, many health insurance companies increased their contributions again.
On average, the additional contributions from statutory insurers rose by 1.7 percent, although the increases vary from fund to fund.
Some have decided not to increase at all.
But there was a pleasant surprise for pensioners when their pension was paid out for the first time in January 2024: the fund contributions did not seem to have increased.
As the German Pension Insurance (DRV) now reports, this is due to a special rule for pension recipients: the increase for legally insured pensioners only takes effect two months later.
Health insurance contributions do not rise for pensioners until March
For them, the additional contribution only increases in March, which means that the monthly pension payment only decreases from then on.
This is required by law.
If the health insurance contribution changes, this will only be reflected in the pension two months later, both in the case of reductions and increases.
Pensioners only have to pay the increased contributions later © Rainer Unkel/Imago
Those affected can see that the pension payment changes due to the health insurance contribution on their bank statement.
The pension insurance only sends written notifications in exceptional cases, for example if the pension is transferred to another person's account.
The additional contribution is in addition to the general contribution rate set by law and can vary greatly from fund to fund.
The Federal Ministry of Health sets the average additional contribution for the coming year each autumn based on an expert estimate.
But each health insurance company can decide for itself on the actual amount.
A complete list of the increases in contributions for individual health insurance companies can be found here.