AUGSBURG (Dow Jones) — The Union warns of rising health insurance contributions if, from June onwards, social insurance would have to pay for more than 600,000 Ukrainian war refugees without additional federal subsidies. “Access for Ukrainian refugees to medical care in Germany is not free of charge,” said CSU health expert Stephan Pilsinger of the “Augsburger Allgemeine” (Monday edition). The CSU politician, together with CDU health expert Tino Sorge, is calling on SPD Health Minister Karl Lauterbach to significantly increase federal subsidies to health insurance companies for war refugees.
Otherwise, the contribution rate increases threatened, warned the two Union health politicians. “Health cards don’t just fall out of the sky,” emphasized Pilsinger. According to him, the federal government reimburses the statutory health insurance companies for less than 40 percent of the average expected costs, 108 instead of at least 275 euros. The rest is left to the contributors. “Loading this solely on the shoulders of the contributors is unfair and ultimately fuels resentment towards the refugees,” warned the CSU politician. The federal government must therefore introduce a law that on the one hand gives the refugees access to medical care, but on the other hand excludes increases in contributions for those with statutory health insurance.
According to the federal government’s draft law, Ukrainian refugees are to have a legal right to benefits under the Social Security Code from June. So far, they have only received lower benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 22, 2022 05:45 ET (09:45 GMT)