German Patients Face Ever-Higher Charges

Millions of German patients now face higher health insurance fundpremiums in addition to the controversial higher charges for drug prescriptions and medical treatment planned by the government.

A number of leading health funds, including the major supplementary funds, have already sent proposals to their management boards to raise contribution rates. Their aim is to undermine the new mechanism planned by the government to establish a clear link between increases in premiums and patient charges.

Under the government arrangement, there will be an across-the-board increase of about 5% from July 1. If a health fund planned to increase its premium rates after March 11, the patient charges would rise by one Deutschemark for every 0.1% rise in premiums. A number of funds say they have proposed rises in premiums before March 11, including most of the white-collar funds.