Proposal to Merge Two Insurance Systems in Germany's Healthcare System

Jens Baas, head of Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), one of Germany's largest statutory health insurances, called for the abolition of statutory and private health insurances and the establishment of a new model combining the advantages of both systems.

Within the scope of discussions regarding the future of Germany's healthcare system, Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) Chairman Jens Baas stated in an interview with Der Spiegel magazine that he wants the current statutory and private health insurance systems to be completely terminated. Baas proposed a new model combining the advantages of the two systems into a single structure.

Under the proposal, it was stated that four core principles from statutory health insurance should be preserved. Accordingly, insurance institutions should not be able to select individuals based on health risks, insured persons should be able to switch to another insurance at any time, profit-making and resource transfer from health insurance revenues should be prevented, and common standards should be established. Regarding private insurances, it was requested that the reserves set aside for old age be prevented from being used by the state for other purposes and that the flexibility and wide margin of maneuver when contracting with healthcare institutions be preserved in the new model.

On the other hand, this statement currently constitutes a reform proposal. There is no official government decision or announced implementation schedule regarding the abolition of the two insurance systems.