created: 01.10.2004
last modified: 01.10.2004
The willingness to change the insurance company was increasing on the side of the consumers. This again increases the pressure on the companies to court for the favour of the patients. Lowered fees, although only slightly (average 0,05%), of most of the companies are only the beginning. Additional customer-company bonding is supposed to be intensified by substitution services, premium programs and an improved on site service. So, in the future the fees and services will be included in the customer's considerations.
Consumers have become a lot more critical in their choice of their insurance company. Long ago since only the fees were decisive. The assured has become highly wanted customer, who calculates, compares and evaluates the services of the providers.
Health insurance companies in comparison
The magazine "Öko Test" (=Eco-test) took a close look at the service and the fees of 109 health insurance companies. To do so they sent questionnaires to 208 companies. The accuracy of the information given could only be spot-checked. After the scales of "Öko-Test" points were awarded in various categories. No company reached the possible maximum of points. The AOKs ("Allgemeine Ortskrankenkassen", a big German health insurance company) and the big companies did quite well. They might be a little more expensive, but their service is in the top range of the scale.
More and more doctors offer alternative treatments or natural treatments in addition. It is possible that an insurance company pays the fees for that, or at least a part of it. The "Gmündener Ersatzkasse" (GEK) got the most points in that respect. Second came the "Securvita BKK" and third the "Hamburg-Münchener Krankenkasse".
But the services of the "Securvita BKK" are to be monitored with caution: According to a decision of the Federal State Social Law Court of Schleswig-Holstein (one of the 16 federal countries of Germany) the method of repaying is considered partially unlawful.
Premieres and chronic patient programs
Loyalty to the health insurance company and a healthy lifestyle, which also means a lifestyle that pays attention to the cost of health and safety get rewarded.
Premiere programs attract with fee reductions and gifts. A fee reduction of €650 per ann. is possible with the DAK. Companies like the "Gmündener Ersatzkasse" offer prizes worth €180, the "Hamburger-Münchener" worth €120 and the "Bayer BKK" worth €100.
Most of the new programs are only worthwhile for healthy people.
The chronic patients program offers improved treatment especially for people with diabetes, coronary heart diseases, asthma or breast cancer. The "Bayer BKK" achieved the highest ranking in this category. The on-site service was also compared. Here, the "AOKs" scored best.
Changing your health insurance is no problem
In the case of rising fees in his insurance company the customer has the right to a special termination of the contract and change to a more favourable company. The minimum contract of 18 months is no longer valid in this case. But you have to pay attention: the termination needs to be at the company until the end of the month following the increase of the fees.
The insurance company will only pay the cost of medication for chronic patients after 1% of the annual income has been spent on medication.
Bottom line
In times of small wallets the comparison of services and fees pays for everyone. The insurance company should fit the patient as perfectly as possible. To help you with your decision the advisors of the "Landesverbraucherzentrale" are the first address.
