Union firmly refuses SPD's recommendation to raise the cap for increased contribution evaluations - The Union opposes the SPD's suggestion for raising the contribution limit.
A Fresh Look:
Union Snubs SPD's Health Proposal to Boost Contribution Limit
Christos Pantazis, health spokesperson for the SPD in the Bundestag, has floated an idea in Saturday's Bild paper—raising the contribution limit to a similar level as pension insurance. He reasoned that this could offer some financial respite to health insurers without overburdening policyholders. The current limit stands at 5,512.50 euros for health insurance, compared to 8,050 euros for pension insurance.
Pantazis garnered support from Janosch Dahmen, Green health expert, and the German Social Association (SoVD). Yet, fierce criticism followed, not only from the Union but also from the Association of Private Health Insurers (PKV) and AfD lawmaker René Springer.
Ates Gürpinar, health expert from the Left, supported the idea and even suggested a more substantial increase to 15,000 euros a month, considering rental and capital income. He also advocated expanding the insurance obligation limit, the point up to which membership in statutory health insurance is mandatory.
Health insurers, however, balked at this idea. Florian Lanz, the spokesperson for the GKV association, noted that whether high earners or privately insured individuals should contribute more to the solidarity-based financing of statutory health insurance is a political call that the Bundestag must address first.
Meanwhile, Verena Bentele, president of the social association VdK, objected to limiting the choice of a primary care physician within the proposed government-planned primary care system. Bentele argued that patients should retain the right to pick their primary care provider of choice, and should not be merely assigned. In principle, she supported the primary care system, which involves consultation with a primary care physician before visiting a specialist.
- Contribution limit
- SPD
- Health insurance
- CDU
- CSU
- Increase
- Ates Gürpinar
- Albert Stegemann
- Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland
- SPD parliamentary group
- Bundestag
- Bild newspaper
- Janosch
(Note: While researching the stances of various parties on the proposed contribution limit increase, the enrichment data suggests that specific details about the parties' standpoints are scarce, with details primarily focusing on the SPD's proposal. Further political updates or news sources would be necessary for a comprehensive understanding of each party's position.)
- The SPD, led by Christos Pantazis, has proposed increasing the contribution limit for health insurance to a level comparable to pension insurance, with the aim of offering financial relief to health insurers without burdening policyholders excessively.
- The proposal for an increased contribution limit in health-and-wellness policy-and-legislation has sparked debates, receiving support from Green health expert Janosch Dahmen and the German Social Association (SoVD), but facing criticism from the Union, the Association of Private Health Insurers (PKV), and AfD lawmaker René Springer.
- Ates Gürpinar, a health expert from the Left, not only supports the idea of increasing the contribution limit but also advocates for an even more substantial increase to 15,000 euros a month, considering other factors like rental and capital income. He also proposes expanding the insurance obligation limit to broaden the scope of statutory health insurance.
