German Public Health Insurers Report €6.2 Billion Deficit for 2024

Rising healthcare costs and a lack of modernization in the system have depleted reserves to below legal minimums, prompting calls for reform and increased government funding.

Germany's statutory health insurers faced a €6.2 billion deficit in 2024, with expenses surpassing revenues of €320.6 billion by €6.3 billion.
The financial reserves of the insurers dropped to €2.1 billion, equating to just 0.08 months of expenses—less than half the legally required minimum reserve of 0.2 months.
Healthcare spending saw significant increases, including a 9% rise in hospital treatment costs and a 9.9% increase in medication expenses.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach attributed the deficit to inflation-driven cost increases and years of missed modernization efforts, calling for structural reforms and more government funding for non-insurance-related healthcare services.
The average additional contribution rate for 2025 has been set at 2.5%, but many insurers have already raised rates beyond this to replenish their depleted reserves.