Health · Healthcare & Policy · 3 hrs ago
TK chief proposes replacing Germany’s public and private health insurance systems
Techniker Krankenkasse chief Jens Baas has called for replacing Germany’s public and private health insurance systems with a new model.
Germany currently has two types of health insurance, and Baas says neither should remain in its current form.
He wants the new system to take the best features from both.
From public insurance, he cites no risk-based selection, the ability to change insurer at any time, limits on taking profits and clear standards for covered care.
From private insurance, he wants reserves protected from state access and more freedom to make contracts with doctors, hospitals and therapists.
Baas said private insurers often lack the size to use that contracting freedom, which a shared system could provide.
The proposal would reshape health insurance in Germany, but no decision or next steps are given.
Techniker Krankenkasse chief Jens Baas has called for Germany to abolish both its public and private health insurance systems.
He proposes replacing them with a system that combines what he sees as the best features of both.
From public insurance, he wants to retain the ban on selecting members based on risk and the ability to switch insurers at any time.
He also says the new system should prevent the state from accessing reserves and should set standards for covered services.
Baas cited greater freedom to arrange contracts with doctors, hospitals and therapists as a potential advantage of private insurance.
- Who
- Jens Baas, chief executive of the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK).
- What
- He proposed abolishing Germany’s public and private health insurance systems and replacing them with a system combining features of both.
- When
- 16 October 2026.
- Where
- Germany.
- Why
- He wants to combine features he considers beneficial, including protections against risk selection and state access to reserves, with greater freedom to arrange contracts.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- TK membership
- More than 12 million insured people
- Proposal date
- 16 October 2026
- Public insurance feature
- No selection of members based on risk
- Private insurance feature
- Greater theoretical freedom to arrange contracts with doctors, hospitals and therapists
4 sources
Gesundheit - Chef der Techniker Krankenkasse: "Private und gesetzliche Kassen abschaffen" - neues System mit "Bestem aus beiden Welten"
TK-Chef Baas will neues Kassensystem: PKV und GKV sollen abgeschafft werden
Jens Baas: Techniker-Chef fordert neues System der Krankenversicherung
Forderung nach radikaler Kassenreform TK-Chef für Ende von gesetzlicher und privater Versicherung
What people are saying
Wir sollten die private Krankenversicherung abschaffen, die gesetzliche aber auch
An die Altersrückstellungen der Privaten kommt der Staat nicht ran
Eine PKV kann Verträge mit Ärzten, Krankenhäusern und Therapeuten in der Theorie viel freier gestalten als wir