Union and SPD against complete abolition of voluntary services - Germany's health insurance debate heats up over voluntary benefit cuts
A proposal to cut voluntary benefits from Germany's statutory health insurance system has sparked debate. The head of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) called for scrapping extras like dental cleanings and homeopathy to save money. But lawmakers from the CDU/CSU and SPD have dismissed the idea as misguided.
Andreas Gassen, chairman of the KBV, argued that voluntary benefits should be removed entirely. These extras—such as subsidies for professional dental cleanings (40-150 euros per year), travel vaccinations, osteopathy, and acupuncture—are offered by many of Germany's 93 statutory health funds. Some insurers even provide bonus programmes rewarding healthy behaviour with up to 500 euros annually.
SPD health policy spokesperson Christos Pantazis acknowledged that benefits lacking scientific evidence, like homeopathy, could be reviewed. However, he warned that cutting them would have little effect on overall spending. CDU health expert Simone Borchardt agreed, calling the proposal short-sighted. Instead, she pushed for structural reforms to improve efficiency and stabilise contributions.
Both parties stressed that broader changes, rather than symbolic cuts, are needed to secure the system's future.
The debate highlights tensions over balancing cost savings with patient benefits. While voluntary extras remain under scrutiny, lawmakers insist on deeper reforms to ensure the long-term stability of Germany's health insurance system. No immediate changes to the current benefits have been announced.
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