SPD vice-Chairwoman Condemns Proposal to Eliminate dental Coverage as “Anti-social”
Berlin – A proposal from the Union’s economic council to remove dental treatments, orthodontics, and treatment travel costs from statutory health insurance coverage has sparked fierce criticism from Dagmar Schmidt, deputy chairman of the SPD parliamentary group. Schmidt labeled the suggestion “anti-social” and warned it would exacerbate inequality within the German healthcare system.
“Dental services in particular are without ifs and buts,” Schmidt told Reuters on Tuesday. ”The proposal to delete these services leads to even greater inequality in the health system.” she argued for a broader debate on financing social security systems, referencing the potential inclusion of civil servants in statutory health insurance, and dismissed the proposal as originating from “privileged groups that are not affected anyway.”
The Union’s economic council’s ten-point plan, aimed at bolstering Germany’s economic and investment landscape, suggested individuals could secure these services privately. This plan has also drawn condemnation from within the CDU itself, with Dennis Radtke, chairman of the CDA workers’ wing, calling it “more than cynical” that a group of primarily privately insured individuals would propose such measures impacting the majority of the population.
The debate comes as Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) seeks solutions to address rising healthcare costs and stabilize contribution rates for health and nursing care insurance, as reported by welt. The escalating costs are prompting a search for new proposals to maintain the financial stability of the system.