Nina Warken's German health insurance reform faces widespread opposition

Federal Health Minister Nina Warken announced a sweeping reform of the statutory health insurance (GKV). The package includes electronic referrals, a digital appointment service, a "care cockpit" for long‑term care, and a reduction of family co‑payment from 3.5% to 2.5% of income for spouses without own earnings. It also raises the age limit for children covered at no charge from six to twelve years and increases patient co‑payments for medicines and hospital stays by 50%, while suspending an automatic wage‑linked rise.

The reform has drawn sharp criticism from multiple quarters. The German Hospital Society (DKG) warned that the changes add bureaucracy, expand audits by the Medical Service and will not halt a structural decline in hospital care. The Bavarian Hospital Society and other regional hospital groups forecast a funding shortfall of up to €1.4 billion for hospitals, jeopardising patient care.

Opposition parties argue the law yields a “betrayal” of families and patients, accusing the coalition of conceding to the pharma lobby. The proposed manufacturer rebate on medicines doubles, saving the industry billions while insured families bear higher costs. Green and Left MPs have filed an urgent application with the Federal Constitutional Court to halt the vote, claiming insufficient parliamentary scrutiny.

A separate parliamentary motion from the Left faction calls for stricter regulation of individual health services (IGeL) and a positive list of reimbursable self‑pay treatments, underscoring broader concerns about cost transparency in the health system.