Last year, the GKV spent almost 13 billion euros on dental treatment, including tooth fillings, root canal treatments and check-ups.
(Photo: DigitalVision/Getty Images)
Berlin In view of the multi-billion dollar deficit in statutory health insurance (GKV), the first calls are being made to noticeably cut benefits.
“The increasing health expenditure is already pushing the system to its limits,” said Ralf Hermes, head of the statutory IKK innovation fund with around 300,000 insured persons, the Handelsblatt. “Therefore, cuts in benefits should not be taboo, there is no alternative.”
Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) rejects cuts in benefits, and health insurance companies are also skeptical. On the other hand, spending has been growing for years, amounting to 263.41 billion euros last year. “And there’s no trend reversal in sight in the long run,” Hermes said. The largest part is accounted for by hospital treatments, at more than 85 billion euros, with more than 40 billion euros each being spent on medical treatments and pharmaceuticals.
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