Overview
- The Bundestag and Bundesrat approved the GKV 'Beitragssatzstabilisierungsgesetz' on Friday, July 10, 2026, making the package law and fixing the framework for 2027 budgeting and contribution-rate planning.
- The package targets about €18.8 billion in savings for 2027 by raising co‑payments, removing some covered services such as homeopathy, cutting dental fixed subsidies from 60% to 50%, and tightening family‑insurance rules.
- Hospitals and providers face sharp revenue pressure after the law ends a temporary €4 billion inflation top‑up and imposes roughly €4.6 billion more in savings, a combination that hospital groups say could lower revenues by around 8% per hospital and endanger tens of thousands of jobs.
- Consumer protections change: sickness funds will no longer be required to notify members about increases in supplementary contributions, a move consumer groups warn will weaken the right to switch insurers when contributions rise; the federal subsidy to GKV is trimmed by €1.35 billion for 2027 while €1 billion is added for basic‑security health costs.
- The law survived last‑minute legal and parliamentary delays but has drawn strong criticism from medical associations, unions and opposition parties who predict reduced access and longer waits, and the government says further structural reforms will follow to reshape emergency and primary care.