Health · Healthcare & Policy · 23 hrs ago
German private health insurance premiums to rise for 53% of members in 2027
Germany’s private health insurance association says premiums will rise for about 53% of members from January 1, 2027.
The average increase is expected to be 13.4% overall, with rises averaging 11.4% for people eligible for government assistance and 15.3% for other members.
The association says higher medical costs are driving the increases, including spending on hospitals, medicines, doctors and other care.
Private insurers can adjust premiums only when costs in a particular plan exceed a set threshold, so increases may come in sudden jumps after periods of stability.
Over 2017 to 2027, average premium burdens rose by 5.1% a year for private insurance members, compared with 5.3% for public insurance members, though individual plans can differ.
The planned increases will affect millions of privately insured people, while public insurance premiums are subject to different rules.
The association expects health care costs to keep rising, but the sources give no further details on future premium changes.
Private health insurance premiums in Germany are set to rise for about 53 percent of members from January 1, 2027.
The average increase is expected to be 11.4 percent for people eligible for state assistance and 15.3 percent for other members.
Ihre Vorsorge reports an overall average increase of 13.4 percent.
The PKV Association attributes the increases to rising medical costs, including hospital, outpatient and medicine expenses.
Rules that allow adjustments only after costs pass set thresholds can make premium increases irregular and sudden.
- Who
- About 53 percent of people with private health insurance in Germany.
- What
- Their premiums are set to rise from January 1, 2027. The average increase is 11.4 percent for people eligible for state assistance and 15.3 percent for others.
- When
- January 1, 2027.
- Where
- Germany.
- Why
- The PKV Association cites a sustained rise in medical service costs, including hospital, outpatient and medicine expenses.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Premiums rose by 18 percent for about two-thirds of privately fully insured members, according to Ihre Vorsorge.
Premiums rose by an average of 13 percent for 60 percent of privately fully insured members, according to Ihre Vorsorge.
Premium increases are due to take effect for about 53 percent of privately insured members.
- Affected members
- About 53 percent
- Start date
- January 1, 2027
- Average increase
- 13.4 percent, as reported by Ihre Vorsorge
- People eligible for state assistance
- 11.4 percent average increase
- Other members
- 15.3 percent average increase
- Cost trend
- Medicine expenses rose around 8 percent in the previous year
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What people are saying
Durch dieses Prinzip kommt es dazu, dass bisher stabile Beiträge sprunghaft steigen können
Medizinischer Fortschritt und eine alternde Bevölkerung treiben die Leistungsausgaben und damit die Belastung der Versicherten in PKV und in der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung (GKV)