At a press conference on the previous Thursday, the Association of Private Health Insurance rejected accusations of lack of involvement in the management of the corona crisis. While the statutory health insurance demanded a federal subsidy, the private health insurance presented figures to illustrate how its support is being handled.
According to association director Florian Reuther, it made higher payments to the health system than the percentage of its insured in relation to the statutory health insurance. Likewise, in contrast to the statutory health insurance ─, the expenditure on services of private health insurance ─ increased by around 5 percent in the first half of 2020. This additional expenditure was due in particular to the co-payments of the private health insurance to hospitals for all additional corona fees for privately insured persons. Furthermore, the expenditure for physicians and dentists working on an outpatient basis amounts to a total of 620 million euros due to a hygiene supplementary remuneration of 14 euros. The private health insurance company paid around 36 million euros for video consultation hours during the Corona contact restrictions. Pharmacies were also increasingly supported by private health insurance during corona times, for example by covering the costs of courier services. Exact figures are not yet available, however.
When it comes to the question of measures to prevent infection, such as coronate tests for asymptomatic persons, both statutory and private health insurance are calling for state funding.
Source: deutsche-apotheker-zeitung.de