People with statutory health insurance can sometimes save contributions in old age if they are a member of the pensioners’ health insurance scheme (KVdR). Under which conditions a subsequent change is possible.
Hamburg / Berlin (dpa / tmn) – Voluntary statutory health insurance and at the same time recipient of a statutory pension: Those who belong to this group of people can potentially save a lot of money. Under certain conditions, it is possible to switch to the cheaper health insurance for pensioners (KVdR).
First of all: At first glance, the impression might arise that the KVdR is an independent health insurance company. But it is not. “Rather, KVdR is a status that statutory pensioners can have – or not,” says Jochen Sunken from the Hamburg Consumer Center. In other words: every statutory health insurance company has KVdR status.
Previous insurance period must be fulfilled
In order to get it, the insured must meet certain requirements. In the KVdR, those who apply for a pension from the statutory pension insurance and are entitled to a pension are compulsorily insured. “In addition, a previous insurance period has to be fulfilled,” explains Claudia Widmaier from the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds.
This is the case when insured persons have been a member of a statutory health insurance company or have family insurance for 90 percent of the second half of their working life. “Since 2017, children have also been included in the calculation of the previous insurance period,” says Sunken. For each child, three years of previous insurance are added.
Employment times abroad also count
When does working life begin? Any employment or self-employed activity aimed at gainful employment, for training purposes – also abroad. Under certain circumstances, it is also possible to have periods of employment with an international organization count towards the previous insurance period.
If someone was not gainfully employed, it depends on the date of marriage or registration of a civil partnership. If there was no marriage or registered civil partnership, the date of completion of the 18th year of life is decisive.
What speaks for the KVdR
The decisive difference between compulsory insurance in the KVdR and voluntary insurance is not the contribution rate – it is identical. Rather, it is about the assessment of contributions, i.e. on which income contributions are to be made.
Pensioners in the KVdR do not pay health insurance contributions on income from assets, renting and leasing, not even on private pensions. “They have an allowance for income from company pension schemes,” says Sunken.
The contribution rate is the usual 14.6 percent as well as the additional contribution for individual health insurance companies, which averages 1.3 percent in 2021.
Difference can add up
For pensioners, like an employer, the German pension insurance pays half of the pension contributions. In concrete terms, this means that, with an average additional contribution, the pensioner has to pay half of 15.9 percent – i.e. 7.95 percent – of the pension payments.
Sunken gives an example: A pensioner who is compulsorily insured by KVdR with a pension of EUR 1000, EUR 250 rental income and EUR 150 from a company pension plan pays 7.95 percent contributions on a EUR 1000 pension – i.e. EUR 79.50. Your rental income and the company pension (tax allowance 2021: 164.50 euros) remain free of charge.
A voluntarily insured pensioner with the same income – 1000 euros pension, 250 euros rental income and 150 euros company pension – also pays 7.95 percent contributions on the 1000 euros pension. However, she not only pays contributions to the additional income, but also has to pay them completely alone.
She pays 23.85 euros (15.9 percent of 150 euros) on the company pension. A reduced contribution rate applies to rental income (14 percent plus 1.3 percent additional contribution), but this must also be borne alone – in the example 15.3 percent of 250 euros, i.e. 38.25 euros. “With KVdR status, she would save 62.10 euros per month and several hundred euros a year,” says Sunken.
Have your insurance status checked
Important to know: It is possible to switch to KVdR at a later date – if the requirements for KVdR membership are met. To do this, insured persons must submit an application to their health insurance company to have their insurance status checked.
According to Sunken, the advice experience of the consumer advice center shows that self-employed people who are voluntarily insured and retired are particularly affected. “The health insurance does not approach the insured of its own accord, because it would then generate less income,” says the consumer advocate. When applying, everyone should make sure that the calculation of the previous insurance period is correct.
Don’t forget children
Most importantly, applicants shouldn’t forget about child credits. “It is completely irrelevant who actually looked after the offspring,” explains Sunken. Each parent can count towards three years.
It is also irrelevant whether you have voluntary statutory insurance in your working life or whether you were fully or temporarily covered by family insurance. “The only thing that matters is whether or not you have been in statutory health insurance,” says Sunken. Anyone who has questions about pensioners’ health insurance can contact the consumer advice centers for patients.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210601-99-819759 / 3
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