As of January 1, 2023, statutory health insurance companies can increase the additional contribution. An average increase of 0.3 percentage points is expected. The tricky thing: The obligation of statutory health insurance companies to inform their insured persons in a separate letter about the premium increase and thus about their special right of termination is suspended until mid-2023.
Information about the increase in the additional contribution probably does not reach many insured people
The health insurance funds must inform their members in other ways, for example on the homepage or in the members' magazine.
“But it is foreseeable that many people will not be reached.”
Roland Stecher, insurance expert at the Bremen Consumer Center
The exception was decided as part of the GKV Financial Stabilization Act. The Bremen consumer advice center shows how insured people can find out about possible premium increases and what they should pay attention to when switching health insurance companies.
How do I find out about a premium increase?
The health insurance companies do not have to inform their members by letter. However, no later than one month before an increase in the additional contribution, you are obliged to draw attention to the increase and the associated right of termination “in another appropriate way”.
Insured people then have the opportunity to switch to a cheaper health insurance company. The additional contributions are not the same for all health insurance companies.
Consumer Center Council
Our advice: Insured people should look at their health insurance company's website and find out about their health insurance company's additional contribution. You can also compare all additional contribution rates of the health insurance companies on an overview page of the umbrella association of health insurance companies. The cash registers must also point this out.
Special right of termination if the additional contribution increases
If the health insurance company increases the additional contribution, those affected have a special right of termination until the end of the month in which the new additional contribution applies. This applies regardless of the length of membership. Termination is not necessary. All you have to do is choose a new health insurance company. This takes care of the formalities with the previous health insurance company. However, insured persons who have taken out a special optional tariff to secure their sick pay can only cancel after the three-year commitment period has expired.
Anyone who misses the deadline for the special right of termination and was insured with the old insurance company for at least 12 months can make use of the normal right of termination with a notice period of two months to the end of the month. However, the increased contribution must be paid until the final change.
How do the contribution rate and additional contribution differ?
The general contribution rate is the same for all statutory health insurance companies. It is uniformly 14.6 percent. In addition, every health insurance company can charge an additional contribution to cover its costs. Switching to a health insurance company with a lower additional contribution is the only way for those insured to reduce costs. The highest additional contribution is currently 1.7 percent. Since the contribution assessment limit is also being raised (from 4,837.50 to 4,987.50 euros in income per month), depending on the increase and gross income, this can amount to a three-digit sum per year.
Does a change always make sense?
The services provided by statutory health insurance companies are more than 90 percent identical. However, there are differences when it comes to voluntary additional benefits, also known as statutory benefits. These include, for example, additional preventive services, travel vaccinations, exercise programs, dental cleanings or special services for pregnant women and children. The question of whether there are local branches can also be a criterion for insured persons. If you want to change health insurance, you should clarify in advance which additional services are important.
Further information and links
You can find out more about changing your health insurance provider here .
umbrella association of the Federation of Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband) offers a list of all health insurance funds with the respective additional amounts
Source:
Bremen Consumer Center
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