Overview

• Health Minister Nina Warken said the coalition agreed on a small savings package of about €2 billion to close the 2026 statutory health insurance gap and recommended keeping the supplemental rate stable.
• The government also intends to plug a roughly €2 billion shortfall in long-term care insurance to avert a contribution increase there.
• A cabinet vote on the package is expected Wednesday, shortly before the Schätzerkreis issues a key prognosis that informs whether contribution changes are necessary.
• The Health Ministry must set the average additional contribution rate by November 1, which individual funds use as a guide for their own surcharges.
• Debate over how to save is intensifying, with reported options including trimming insurers’ administrative costs and Innovation Fund payments, while SPD figures and social groups warn against higher patient co-pays or benefit cuts and the GKV points to outlays rising faster than revenues.