Friedrich Merz flags fairness gap in Germany's dual health-insurance system

During a campaign appearance in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Chancellor and CDU leader Friedrich Merz raised concerns about the perceived unfairness of Germany’s dual health-insurance model, where private and statutory schemes operate side by side. His remarks were welcomed by the Left, Greens and the coalition partner, but triggered alarm from the private-insurance lobby, which warned that any abolition or restriction of the dual system would force younger policy-holders to pay higher contributions.

The Federal Medical Association countered that a system without private insurers would leave less money for overall health-care provision, as statutory insurers benefit from revenues generated by private insurance. A government spokesperson later emphasized that Merz was not challenging the insurance system itself, but merely acknowledging public frustration over faster specialist access for privately insured patients. The episode revives calls for a single citizen-based insurance model or other reforms to equalise contribution burdens across the population.