In Germany, there has long been disagreement about which health insurance system is best. A large part of the population is insured in the statutory health insurance system (GKV), while a minority opts for private health insurance (PKV). The introduction of a citizen’s insurance has been discussed for years. But what does citizen insurance mean and what are the advantages and disadvantages??

The idea of a citizens’ insurance is simple: By merging the statutory health insurance (GKV) and private health insurance (PKV), all citizens in Germany should be insured in the same system. For many experts, this is the best way to achieve a fairer and more effective health insurance system. Proponents of citizens’ insurance see it as an opportunity to create a solidarity-based and affordable health insurance system for everyone in Germany. PKVs, on the other hand, see citizen insurance as a restriction of freedom of choice and perceive the system as less efficient than private health insurance.