BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – Faced with rising costs in the health sector, the social association VdK has questioned the number of health insurers in Germany. Cash registers can and should also make their contribution to savings, said the president of the VdK, Verena Bentele, to the newspapers of the Funke media group (Saturday). “We have 96 health insurers in Germany. The question is whether there should be that many,” Bentele said. Each cash register has board members and expensive management.
That doesn’t mean you don’t need competent people to work there and take care of members on site. “But if there were fewer cash registers, administrative effort could be significantly reduced and thus save a lot of money,” continued Bentele.
Statutory health insurance is assuming a billion dollar shortfall for the next year. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) has already warned policyholders that contributions will have to increase next year./vee/DP/nas