German Health Minister Nina Warken Defends Changes to Family Health Insurance

The federal government plans to end the free co‑insurance of spouses in Germany’s statutory health and long‑term care insurance. Under the proposal, the main earner would pay a surcharge of 2.5 % of gross income for a partner’s coverage, while children would remain insured at no cost. The draft includes several exemptions – for households with a child under seven, a disabled child, a caregiver of a person with care level 2, or a partner who has reached retirement age – and the states are pushing to broaden them further. They want families over 55 to stay exempt, additional support for farm families where spouses often work without income, and recognition of care‑family and volunteer work.

Health Minister Nina Warken said the reforms aim to eventually lower social‑security contributions, arguing that “lower contributions would directly reach and relieve all people” and that “that should be our goal”. She added that reduced health‑insurance fees would relieve both the economy and insured individuals, complementing planned income‑tax relief measures.