Healthcare: "Securing the competitiveness of skilled trades"

The German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH) hopes for both short-term stabilization measures and lasting structural reforms in the healthcare sector. It is also important to safeguard the competitiveness of craft businesses.

The reform of the statutory health insurance system (GKV) has been initiated. The Federal Ministry of Health has presented a draft bill for the GKV contribution rate stabilization law. This is intended to offset the looming financial deficit for the coming year and the widening gaps until 2030. The Ministry has incorporated many of the 66 measures proposed by the Federal Government's Finance Commission on Health into the draft.

The German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH) welcomes this. The draft legislation sends an important signal for stabilizing the finances of the statutory health insurance system. With savings of approximately 20 billion euros by 2027, there is the possibility of significantly reducing supplementary contributions as early as next year, thus providing relief to businesses and employees. "At the same time, the current financial situation should be seen as an unmistakable warning signal that the pressure for reform remains high and brooks no delay," warns ZDH Secretary General Holger Schwannecke.

Further developing the healthcare system

"Without immediate and decisive action, a funding gap of over €15 billion is expected as early as next year, and this is likely to widen considerably by 2030. Against this backdrop, it is essential to implement structural reforms, in addition to short-term measures, to stabilize the system permanently and limit costs." Further development of the healthcare system remains crucial. For the skilled trades, the development of social security contributions is particularly important. Especially labor-intensive businesses depend on receiving reliable and sustainable solutions.

Schwannecke calls for a sustainable reduction in non-wage labor costs to bring total social security contributions back below 40 percent. "The next step is to unlock existing efficiency potential, because analyses show that statutory health insurance is primarily facing an expenditure problem, not a revenue shortfall. It is unacceptable to continue having non-insurance-related benefits financed predominantly by contributors." Health insurance contributions for recipients of basic income support should be fully financed from tax revenue, and the federal subsidy for statutory health insurance should be increased.

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Criticism of the increase in the contribution assessment ceiling

The skilled trades sector is critical of the extraordinary increase in the monthly contribution assessment ceiling by around 300 euros. Schwannecke: "Contrary to claims, it does not strengthen contribution fairness, but rather represents a massive and additional burden for both employers and employees. Self-employed individuals may also face significantly higher contributions. It is crucial that the reform is now resolutely pursued to safeguard the competitiveness of the skilled trades."

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