The Federal Finance Minister must not evade responsibility
The president of the German Medical Association, Dr. Klaus Reinhardt, is demanding at least three billion euros from the federal government as a first step towards the full refinancing of non-insurance-related services in the statutory health insurance system:
“Stabilizing health insurance finances is a major undertaking for society as a whole. Therefore, it is absolutely unacceptable that the Federal Finance Minister is literally shirking his responsibility while healthcare workers, insured individuals, and patients are expected to bear the brunt of the planned statutory health insurance savings package.
So far, Minister Klingbeil has shown no willingness whatsoever to even begin the process of fully refinancing non-insurance-related services with federal funds. A first, urgently needed step would be an additional tax subsidy to the health fund of at least three billion euros, which must be consistently expanded in the coming years.
The Federal Government's Finance Commission on Health has also explicitly recommended that non-insurance-related services be fully financed through the federal budget. According to their calculations, the annual requirement is approximately €12.5 billion. This funding gap must not be closed by cutting benefits or by imposing additional burdens on insured individuals, patients, or healthcare workers.
In this context, I recommend that the Federal Minister of Finance also follow the proposals of the Finance Commission on Health on another point. The Commission suggests introducing or increasing taxes on harmful indulgences such as spirits, tobacco, and sugary drinks, and allocating the resulting revenue specifically to the healthcare system. This would not only finance the first step towards the full refinancing of non-insurance-related services, but also create the necessary framework for effective preventive measures.
Instead, the federal government is currently only planning to raise the tobacco tax – and even then, only to offset the announced tax-free relief bonus for employees. Therefore, there is no question of a consistent, politically sound overall strategy.
Furthermore, higher taxes or levies on harmful substances also have a preventive effect. Higher prices can demonstrably reduce consumption and, in particular, raise the barriers to entry for children and young people. They are therefore an important component in the fight against the major widespread diseases of our time, such as cancer, heart disease, COPD, and obesity.
If real progress were finally made here, it would not only have a positive impact on the health of every individual, but would also relieve the economy of billions in the long term".
Press release from German Medical Association: 22.04.2026
Photo: ©BÄK (Corrected!)
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Bundesärztekammer - Dr. Klaus Reinhardt