Overview
- At Thursday's ZDF talk show Maybrit Illner, Health Minister Nina Warken publicly defended the bill and faced criticism from politicians, insurer leaders and doctors.
- The proposed Beitragsstabilisierungsgesetz targets a roughly €19 billion gap and includes higher drug co-payments, an end to free spousal co‑insurance and a rise in the contribution assessment ceiling.
- A last-minute change reported in the draft would remove an insurer duty and make it harder for policyholders to switch funds, a move that has intensified objections from consumer groups and sickness funds.
- Medical providers, psychotherapists and hospitals warn the measures will worsen care by increasing costs for patients and raising pressure on already full practices and long waiting lists.
- Parliamentary approval remains unresolved and the dispute raises near-term risks of higher out‑of‑pocket costs for millions of insured people and further political clashes over how to reform the system.