Techniker Krankenkasse CEO Warns Health and Long-Term Care Contributions Likely to Rise

On Tuesday, August 26, 2026, Jens Baas, chief executive of Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) — Germany’s largest statutory health insurer — told the Politico Pro Gesundheit newsletter that contributions to the country’s Krankenkasse (statutory health insurance) and Pflegeversicherung (long-term care insurance) are likely to rise. Baas said stable rates in the gesetzliche Krankenversicherung (GKV) are only a 50/50 prospect after first-half 2026 spending came in higher than forecast.

His remarks landed as the Merz coalition prepares a major Pflegereform and as insurers press Berlin for billions in outstanding pandemic-era reimbursements.

Editor’s note: This article draws on reporting from Politico Pro Gesundheit, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Die Zeit, WirtschaftsWoche, and German regional media, August 26, 2026. Contribution rates and legislative details may change as reforms advance.

What Baas said about long-term care

Baas said contribution increases in long-term care insurance remain realistic even with the government’s planned reform.

“It is realistic that contributions will rise over time. We have a society that is getting older, and more and more people who need care.”

He stressed that premiums must stay in a reasonable proportion to the benefits the system delivers.

To ease pressure on Pflegekassen (long-term care funds), Baas demanded that the federal government repay roughly €6 billion that insurers say was withheld from care funds during the COVID-19 pandemic and has not been fully reimbursed. From the insurers’ perspective, pandemic-related costs from that period remain an open bill.

Baas also pointed to savings on the monthly flat rate for consumable aids (Verbrauchshilfsmittel) as one area where spending could be trimmed without cutting core benefits.

Warning on statutory health insurance

Baas extended his warning to the broader Krankenkasse system.

He said Health Minister Carsten Linnemann (CDU) would need to take further steps if he wants to guarantee stable GKV contribution rates. Despite planned reforms, Baas said Berlin is currently “far from a guarantee of stable contributions.”

Factor	Baas’s assessment
Chance of stable GKV rates	Roughly 50/50
Main driver	First-half 2026 costs rose faster than projected
Policy implication	Additional measures required to hold rates steady

“Anyone who wants to guarantee stable contributions must therefore take further measures,” Baas said.

Broader insurer alarm

Baas was not alone in sounding the alarm.

Carola Reimann, head of the AOK federal association, told the Funke Mediengruppe that long-term care insurance faces a projected €8 billion deficit. She said the federal €3.2 billion loan provided for 2026 is unlikely to last through year-end unless Berlin plugs the gap through other measures or additional budget funds.

Reimann warned that without quick action, further contribution-rate increases are likely — unless policymakers find alternative savings or allocate more money from the federal budget.

Caregiver pensions: who should pay?

Both Baas and Reimann weighed in on a politically sensitive piece of the reform debate: pension entitlements for people caring for relatives.

Baas welcomed Linnemann’s plan not to cut those entitlements — a reversal of an approach floated under former Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU), whose draft bill had included expenditure controls, revenue measures, and possible cuts to caregiver pension rights.

But Baas argued the cost should not fall on care-insurance contributors:

“Keeping pension entitlements for caregiving relatives makes sense. Caring often means cutting back at work. Paying pension contributions, however, is not a task for care-insurance contributors — it is the state’s job.”

He said the pending Pflegereform would be a good moment to finance those pension costs through the federal budget rather than through premium payers.

Reform context

Germany’s black-red coalition is drafting changes to long-term care insurance, which — unlike statutory health insurance — covers only part of care costs. People who qualify for benefits still pay a substantial Eigenanteil (personal share).

Warken’s earlier legislative proposal aimed to cap spending and raise revenue to close multi-billion-euro gaps and avoid broad contribution hikes. Linnemann, who succeeded her as health minister, has signaled he will protect caregiver pension rights even as the government searches for savings elsewhere.

For millions of employees and employers who split Krankenkasse and Pflegeversicherung payroll contributions, Baas’s interview underscored that Berlin’s reform promises have not removed the fiscal pressure underneath.

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Discussion

Germany’s social insurance systems were built for a younger population. The numbers now point the other way.

1. Should long-term care contributions rise if benefits stay the same — or should Berlin plug gaps from general tax revenue instead?

Baas wants pandemic-era repayments and budget financing for caregiver pensions. Is that fair to taxpayers who do not use care services, or a necessary fix for a demographic crunch?

2. How much should employees worry about a “50/50” chance of stable Krankenkasse rates?

If first-half costs keep beating forecasts, insurers may push for supplementary premiums (Zusatzbeiträge). Would you switch funds over a few euros, or is the whole GKV model under strain?

Share how rising social contributions would affect your household budget — and whether you think the Pflegereform will change the trajectory.

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This article is news and general information about public policy and social insurance, not personal financial or legal advice. Contribution rates and eligibility rules are set by statute and may change.