German BKK Herkules members will see their health insurance additional contribution rates decrease starting October 1.
Falling contribution rates do not mean that all members experience the same change.
This adjustment is a specific fund's decision and should be distinguished from the 2027 burden change outlook.
3-Line Summary
1. BKK Herkules additional contribution rate is falling
2. Adjusted from 4.38% to 3.48% on October 1
3. The 2027 system proposal has not yet been finalized
BKK Herkules, Additional Contribution Rate Cut by 0.9%
BKK Herkules, the occupational health insurance fund headquartered in Kassel, Germany, announced that starting October 1 it will lower its individual additional contribution rate from 4.38% to 3.48%. The additional contribution rate is a premium component set by statutory health insurance funds. When a fund's expenses exceed its income, it can raise this rate to cover the shortfall, and it can lower it based on income and reserve conditions.
The base premium rate of 14.6% remains unchanged, so the overall health insurance premium rate will decline from 18.98% to 18.08%. BKK Herkules explained that benefit items will be maintained. This fund raised the additional contribution rate by 0.9% in October 2025 and maintained high levels in early this year, but is now reversing a substantial portion of that increase.
Occupationally insured members share the additional contribution rate equally with their employers. Therefore, the burden reduction felt by workers is 0.45% of income subject to insurance calculation. Krankenkasseninfo.de calculated that members with a gross monthly salary of approximately 4,000 euros could save around 200 euros annually in health insurance social insurance contributions. However, the actual savings amount varies depending on each individual's income subject to insurance calculation.
IKK Brandenburg-Berlin Also Changes Following Merger
IKK Brandenburg-Berlin, with approximately 100,000 members (10万), will also see its additional contribution rate fall starting October 1. This adjustment follows its merger with IKK gesund plus, as the current 3.39% contribution rate of the merging partner will be applied instead of the previous 4.35%.
Disparities among funds are considerable. According to reports, the highest additional contribution rate at that time was BKK24's 4.39%, while the lowest was BKK Firmus at 2.18%. Additional contribution rates do not change only at year-end. IKK Klassik raised its rate by 0.6% on August 1 to 3.85%, and IKK Südwest also increased by 0.6% on the same day to 3.5%.
T-Online reported that when additional contribution rates rise, members gain special termination rights. Members can switch to a different fund without the standard 12-month membership retention period, but the termination or change process must be completed by the last day of the month in which the increased contribution rate first applies. Conversely, in cases like this one where rates are reduced, this mechanism does not automatically lower contributions at all statutory health insurance funds.
2027 High-Earner Burden Increase Still Has Procedural Steps Ahead
In 2027, a proposal to raise the statutory health insurance premium calculation ceiling from 5,812.50 euros to 6,375 euros per month was included in a draft ordinance from the German Federal Labor Ministry. According to BILD reporting, assuming the premium rate does not change and the additional contribution rate is 2.9%, statutory insurance employees exceeding the new ceiling could pay up to approximately 102 euros more per month. Employers would in principle bear the same level of additional burden.
However, this is not yet a finalized burden amount. The ordinance must pass through government approval and Federal Senate consent, and additional revisions related to long-term care insurance are still in draft form. The reduction in contribution rates confirmed in October for BKK Herkules and IKK members, and the 2027 system proposal, are matters with different timing and finalization status.