PressSplit
Karl Lauterbach wants to take action against loopholes when changing health insurance providers. (Archive photo) © Carsten Koall / dpa
For pensioners, switching from private to statutory health insurance is almost impossible. There are loopholes, but Lauterbach now wants to take action against them.
Berlin – Income in retirement is less than expected, while the costs of private health insurance are rising – many of those affected wish they could still retire. statutory health insurance But that is not so easy for people over 55 years of age – even if there have been legal loopholes up to now. The Ministry of Health under Karl Lauterbach (SPD) now reportedly wants to close these.
Background: Actually, it is for Privately insured people over 55 years of age are hardly able to switch to statutory health insuranceThe legislator wants to prevent privately insured people who have not paid into the solidarity community of those with statutory insurance for years from benefiting from it in old age (and probably with more frequent health problems). However, many privately insured people regret their decision in old age because contributions often increase while income decreases.
Almost impossible for pensioners: Switching from private to statutory health insurance
They then desperately search for ways to switch from private health insurance (PKV) to statutory health insurance (GKV) – and may discover a legal loophole during their internet research: switching to GKV is possible even at an older age if you are working abroad in an EU country that requires insurance. Nebulous providers want to make this possible for those who want to switch for a fee – they do not provide any clear information about their approach. Apparently, however, they open a business for their customers in an Eastern European EU country with statutory insurance, so that they can then switch to statutory health insurance in Germany a year later. Research by the ARD magazine Plusminus from this year.
Based on her research, Anke Puzicha from the Hamburg Consumer Advice Center fears that a foreign bogus business may be used to facilitate the change of insurance, which is actually illegal. “The providers know very well why they do not publish their method clearly. People who change insurance in this way risk being accused of social fraud,” she criticizes according to daily News.
If the statutory health insurance company finds out that you have only taken up employment or founded a company for show so that you can switch insurers, then the law is being circumvented. The insurer can then terminate the contract with the person concerned – and, according to consumer protection groups, may even demand reimbursement of any treatment costs incurred.
Changing health insurance providers in retirement: Lauterbach wants to close loopholes
The Federal Ministry of Health now wants to take action against this scam. A spokeswoman confirmed this to the insurance magazine procontra“A legal adjustment is currently being prepared so that an abusive switch from private health insurance to statutory health insurance by taking up employment abroad after the age of 55 will no longer be possible in the future,” the spokeswoman told the magazine.
However, this is not the only loophole that Lauterbach’s ministry wants to close: Up to now, it has also been possible for older people to switch from private to statutory insurance if their spouse is insured under statutory insurance and they are entitled to family insurance. This entitlement only exists if their income is very low – but this can be “artificially” created by switching to a partial pension for a few months in order to switch insurance.
However, the Federal Government sees this model as Business Week a “possibility of abuse to the detriment of the solidarity community”. According to the magazine, the planned Health Care Strengthening Act is therefore intended to prevent people from switching from private health insurance to family insurance under the statutory health insurance scheme by switching to a partial pension.
