Where Union and SPD surprisingly come close - Germany's CDU and SPD clash over fixing strained health insurance financing
Germany's two largest political parties have put forward rival plans to ease the financial strain on health insurers. The CDU and SPD proposals both aim to reduce reliance on payroll-based contributions but take different approaches. Critics have already raised concerns about complexity and feasibility.
Health Minister Nina Warken of the CDU wants to move non-insurance-related benefits—currently costing nearly €60 billion a year—to the federal budget from statutory health insurers. If successful, this shift could lower health insurance contributions by almost a full percentage point. Warken's plan focuses on relieving pressure without cutting spending.
The SPD, meanwhile, has proposed a new health levy on rental income and capital gains. This would generate extra revenue to support struggling insurers. The party's proposal has faced criticism for being overly complicated.
Warken's separate plan targets healthcare costs for basic welfare and citizen's allowance recipients, which total €10–11 billion annually. Experts suggest that, if structured properly, elements of both the CDU and SPD proposals could work together. Restructuring financing, cutting contributions, and raising federal funds might even be combined into a single solution.
Both parties agree that health insurers should not bear all costs through payroll contributions alone. The CDU's budget shift and the SPD's levy could offer ways to stabilize financing. The next step will depend on whether the plans can be reconciled—or if one gains broader support.
