Health insurance in 2027 is shaped mainly by the GKV Contribution Rate Stabilisation Act (GKV-Beitragssatzstabilisierungsgesetz). According to the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG), it is meant to keep the additional contributions stable and also affects copayments, contribution assessment ceilings and dental prosthetics. This hub gathers all guides on these changes, grouped by topic.
Short answer: The Bundestag passed the GKV Contribution Rate Stabilisation Act on 10 July 2026. According to the BMG, it entered into force on 30 July 2026 (last updated: November 2026). Each health insurance fund sets its own additional contribution. The Schätzerkreis (estimating committee) expects an average of 2.9 percent for 2027 (estimate, October 2026).
The most important points at a glance
- The GKV Contribution Rate Stabilisation Act was passed by the Bundestag on 10 July 2026. The BMG gives 30 July 2026 as the date of entry into force.
- The general contribution rate has been 14.6 percent since 1 January 2026, the reduced rate 14.0 percent. Your fund’s additional contribution comes on top.
- The average additional contribution for 2027 is an estimate of 2.9 percent. What counts for you is the rate of your own fund.
- Copayments, dental prosthetics and family insurance are part of the law. The published legal text determines which amounts apply.
- According to the draft ordinance, the contribution assessment ceiling for health and long-term care insurance is set to rise to 6,375 euros per month in 2027.
Which contribution rates apply in 2027?
The table below lists the key figures with their status date. Law in force and draft figures are shown separately.
| Figure | Value | Status date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| General contribution rate | 14.6 percent | since 1 Jan 2026 | law in force (§ 241 SGB V) |
| Reduced contribution rate | 14.0 percent | since 1 Jan 2026 | law in force (§ 243 SGB V) |
| Average additional contribution 2027 | 2.9 percent | Schätzerkreis, October 2026 | estimate; each fund sets its own rate |
| Contribution assessment ceiling, health and long-term care 2027 | 6,375 euros per month | ordinance draft, cabinet 7 Oct 2026 | Bundesrat approval still pending |
| Health insurance for students without additional contribution | 87.38 euros per month | 1 Jan 2026 | law in force, plus additional contribution |
Under § 245 SGB V, students pay on the basis of 7/10 of the general rate, that is 10.22 percent of the contribution basis. The contribution basis of 855 euros per month applies as of 1 January 2026. Assumption: contribution basis 855 euros, additional contribution 2.9 percent. This gives 87.38 euros plus 24.80 euros, so 112.18 euros per month for health insurance.
How high will the additional contribution be in 2027?
The Schätzerkreis expects an average additional contribution of 2.9 percent for 2027. According to the BMG, 3.8 percent would have been expected without the Contribution Rate Stabilisation Act. The average says little about your own fund, because each fund sets its own rate. For the calculation, see Krankenkassenbeitrag 2027 berechnen: Schritt für Schritt mit Beispiel (in German). The reasons for the spread between funds are explained in Zusatzbeitrag der Krankenkassen 2027: Warum die Spanne so groß ist (in German).
What changes for copayments and dental prosthetics?
Copayments are at the centre of the reform. The cabinet draft proposed an increase. Which amounts finally apply follows from the adopted legal text, not from draft versions, so the individual articles check each figure separately. Already in force: copayments in a calendar year are limited to the copayment cap, which is 2 percent of annual gross income for living expenses, or 1 percent for chronically ill patients (§ 62 SGB V).
- Copayments 2027: What the law is set to change
- Apothekenzuzahlung 2027: Was sich pro Medikament ändert
- Dental prostheses 2027: Why the fixed subsidy is set to fall
- Apply for a copayment exemption: checklist with steps and documents
What applies to family insurance and co-insured partners?
The income limit for family members covered by family insurance is 565 euros per month in 2026 (§ 10 SGB V, as of 1 January 2026). The draft ordinance for 2027 sets a reference amount of 4,130 euros per month. One seventh of that is 590 euros per month (draft). For co-insured spouses and registered partners, a contribution surcharge of 2.5 percent is planned from 2028, with exceptions according to the BMG. Details are in Familienversicherung Ehepartner ab 2028: Was der Beitrag kostet (in German).
What happens when you change health insurance fund?
Under the SGB V you are bound to your chosen fund for at least twelve months. When an additional contribution is introduced or raised, you can give notice effective at the end of the month from which it applies. Krankenkasse Mindestbindung: Wie lange man nach einem Wechsel bleiben muss (in German) explains how these deadlines work in practice. Krankenkasse insolvent: Was mit Versicherung und Leistungen passiert (in German) covers what happens if a fund becomes insolvent.
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2027 health insurance change already apply?
According to the BMG, the law has been in force since 30 July 2026. Some rules only take effect in 2027 or 2028, so each measure has its own effective date.
Will my contribution rise automatically?
That depends on your income and on your fund’s additional contribution. For employment income, the contribution follows your income up to the contribution assessment ceiling. A worked example is in the guide on calculating the 2027 health insurance contribution (in German).
How much is health insurance for students?
According to the GKV-Spitzenverband, the amount in 2026 was 87.38 euros per month without the additional contribution, based on a contribution basis of 855 euros (as of 1 January 2026). Your fund’s additional contribution is added on top.
Does the reform also affect self-employed people?
Self-employed people pay contributions based on their income. Whether an optional sickness benefit tariff makes sense is covered in Krankengeld für Selbstständige: Wahltarif bei der Krankenkasse prüfen (in German).
Where is the binding legal text?
The published law in the Federal Law Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt) is authoritative. For this, the BMG refers to the identifier bgbl/1/2026/228. Summaries and drafts do not replace that text.
What to do now
- Check your contribution notice or your fund’s website for the current additional contribution.
- Work out your monthly contribution using the method in the guide on calculating the 2027 health insurance contribution (in German).
- Read the articles on copayments and dental prosthetics that match your situation, and compare them with the legal text.
- If you want to know what this means in your case, personal advice helps. More on this is on the page How we work.
All articles on this topic
The articles in this group are arranged by subtopic. Links point to the German versions.
Das Gesetz
Beiträge und Rechengrößen
- Additional contribution 2027: Why the average does not apply to every insurer
- Contribution assessment ceiling 2027: What rises for high earners
- Additional contribution 2027: why insurers differ so much
- Health insurance contribution 2027: step-by-step calculation example
- Zusatzbeitrag mitten im Jahr erhöht: Darf die Krankenkasse das? (in German)
- Mindestrücklage der Krankenkassen: Was dahintersteckt (in German)
- Standortklausel bei Krankenkassen: Was sie für Zusatzbeiträge bedeutet (in German)
Zuzahlungen und Eigenanteile
- Copayments 2027: What the law is set to change
- Apothekenzuzahlung 2027: Was sich pro Medikament ändert
- Dental prostheses 2027: Why the fixed subsidy is set to fall
- Apply for a copayment exemption: checklist with steps and documents
- Hospital copayment 2027: what the reform is expected to change
- Physiotherapy Copayment: What Changes for Remedies
- Zuzahlung bei Hilfsmitteln: Was Studierende selbst zahlen (in German)
Leistungen und Familienversicherung
- Sickness benefit for the self-employed: check the optional tariff
- Zweitmeinung vor Operation ab 2027: Anspruch und Ablauf (in German)
- Familienversicherung Ehepartner ab 2028: Was der Beitrag kostet (in German)
- Wahltarife der Krankenkassen: Welche sich für junge Versicherte lohnen (in German)
Kassenwechsel und Sicherheit
- Krankenkasse Mindestbindung: Wie lange man nach einem Wechsel bleiben muss (in German)
- Krankenkasse insolvent: Was mit Versicherung und Leistungen passiert (in German)
Related reading
- Statutory health insurance during studies: experience, costs, limits (in German)
- Student health insurance: PKV or GKV, what suits you? (in German)
- Nursing care reform 2027: what is settled and what is pending
Sources: BMG, GKV Contribution Rate Stabilisation Act, legislative status (last updated November 2026); BMG, FAQ on the GKV Contribution Rate Stabilisation Act (2026); GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on calculation parameters for contribution law (as of 1 Jan 2026); Federal Social Insurance Office, estimating committee for 2026 and 2027 (October 2026); BMAS, Social Insurance Calculation Parameters Ordinance 2027 (draft, October 2026).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
