German health insurers warn GKV contribution law needs further reforms

The AOK PLUS, which insures about 3.5 million people in Saxony and Thuringia, welcomed the recent GKV‑Beitragssatzstabilisierungsgesetz as a necessary step but said it does not solve the structural financing problems of the statutory health insurance system. Ilona Wojnowski, board member of AOK PLUS, called for a binding roadmap of reforms that would keep contributions affordable, improve care and ensure a fair distribution of costs, especially for low‑income patients.

The Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung (KBV) warned that from 1 January 2027 the law will cut doctors’ and psychotherapists’ earnings. Average income losses are projected at €3,629 per physician, amounting to €550 million in savings for the GKV. Specific cuts include the removal of extra‑budgetary payments, hygiene surcharges and remuneration for appointment scheduling, with total reductions of up to €1.64 billion for specialists. The KBV estimates that every doctor will see a net loss of roughly €7,500 per year, while the law also aims to save €279 million through reduced electronic patient‑record costs.