German gov’t may scrap health insurance benefits for married couples

Germany’s CDU/CSU-SPD government is considering whether to scrap free health insurance coverage for spouses, according to an exclusive Handelsblatt report. Here’s what the change could mean:

Germany may scrap spousal health insurance 

As it stands, married couples and civil partners in Germany benefit from free spousal health insurance coverage. This means that employees in Germany who are covered by statutory health insurance (GKV) can extend their plan to cover their non-working spouse or civil partner and children at no extra cost.

Certain requirements must be met. For example, to be covered by “non-contributory dependents insurance”, the spouses or civil partners cannot be covered by private health insurance, be primarily self-employed, be exempt from (e.g. mini-jobbers) or subject to (e.g. employees) compulsory insurance. 

Handelsblatt reported that the government is considering essentially scrapping non-contributory dependents insurance. Under the new plans, around three million spouses and partners currently covered would instead have to pay a flat rate of 225 euros per month for statutory health insurance and long-term care insurance.

This amounts to an annual expense of 2.700 euros, which would be charged regardless of household income, meaning lower-income households would be disproportionately affected. Exceptions would be made for spouses and civil partners caring for family members or children below the age of six.

When will the government make a decision?

Following the Handelsblatt report, Federal Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) has refused to comment on the government’s plans. Warken says she is waiting for the Health Finance Commission to present its recommendation on March 30.

The Federal Health Ministry established the Health Finance Commission (FinanzKommission Gesundheit) in late 2025 and tasked it with “propos[ing] possible measures on both the revenue and expenditure sides of the statutory health insurance system that would stabilise the contribution rate in the GKV as early as 2027”.

The commission consists of 10 experts: academics specialising in public health, medicine, ethics, economics and social policy, among other relevant subjects. Following the report scheduled for publication at the end of March, the commission will publish recommendations for structural reforms towards the end of 2026.

Ver.di says gov't should tax other kinds of income

Ver.di, one of Germany’s largest trade unions, has criticised the proposal brought to light by Handelsblatt. The union suspects that scrapping spousal coverage will simply lead to all employees in Germany paying higher individual health insurance contributions.

“The fact that the current government isn’t pursuing a universal health insurance system - fair enough,” ver.di representative Jonas Wolframm wrote in a press release, “[B]ut the fact that we aren’t even allowed to discuss taxing other sources of income, such as capital gains or income from rents, is a sad reflection on the situation.”

“The CDU/CSU is otherwise always quick to invoke the principle of "fairness in benefits". Why is it fair that income from work is taxed more heavily than other types of income?” Wolframm proposed.