Short answer: The Bundestag passed the GKV contribution rate stabilisation act (GKV-Beitragssatzstabilisierungsgesetz, BStabG) on 10 July 2026. The Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) names stable additional contributions in 2027 as its goal. The Schätzerkreis, the official estimating panel, expects an average additional contribution of 2.9 percent for 2027. Without the act, the ministry expected 3.8 percent. Last updated: November 2026.
The GKV reform 2026 has one clear aim: the additional contributions of statutory health insurance (GKV) should stay stable in 2027. The legal basis is the GKV contribution rate stabilisation act (BStabG). This guide explains what the Bundestag has passed, which changes are planned and where the figures still depend on the final statutory text.
The essentials in brief
- The Bundestag passed the act on 10 July 2026. The BMG also reports the consent of the Bundesrat (Federal Council). The exact date is in the official publication.
- The Schätzerkreis estimates the average additional contribution for 2027 at 2.9 percent, the same level as in 2026.
- The contribution assessment ceiling for health and long-term care insurance is set to rise once by 300 euros per month in 2027.
- Copayments are to rise by 50 percent, while the fixed subsidy for dental prostheses is to fall.
- Many individual figures come from the draft bill. Check them against the Federal Law Gazette before you make any financial decision.
What did the Bundestag pass on 10 July 2026?
The Bundestag adopted the act on 10 July 2026. The ministry describes the aim as stable additional contributions in 2027 and documents the procedural status on its website. What counts in the end is the promulgated text in the Federal Law Gazette, not a press release or a draft.
Reference values are a separate matter. They are set by regulation each year. The federal cabinet adopted the 2027 regulation draft in October 2026. The Bundesrat still has to consent, so until then the figures remain a draft.
Which changes are planned for 2027?
The overview below lists the points that appear most often in the sources. We also state the status of each point, so that you do not confuse commitments with drafts.
| Area | Planned change | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Contribution assessment ceiling for health and long-term care | One-off increase of 300 euros per month | Provided for in the act, amount to be checked in the statutory text |
| Copayments | Increase of 50 percent according to the BMG | Adopted according to the BMG, details to be checked |
| Fixed subsidy for dental prostheses | Reduction from 60 to 50 percent, with proven preventive care 60 or 65 percent | Adopted according to the BMG, details to be checked |
| Insured spouses | Surcharge of 2.5 percent from 2028, with exceptions | Adopted according to the BMG, details to be checked |
During the legislative process one point was dropped. The Health Committee removed the annual adjustment of copayments, as the committee report on the draft of 8 July 2026 records. Our guide copayments in 2027 explains what this means for individual copayments.
Why is the additional contribution at the centre?
The additional contribution is a percentage that each health insurer sets for itself. Every year in autumn a panel calculates which average rate is needed for the following year. For 2027 the Schätzerkreis arrived in October 2026 at a calculated average additional contribution of 2.9 percent, unchanged from 2026.
Without the act, the ministry expected 3.8 percent according to its FAQ. The gap shows the effect the ministry attributes to the act. This is no guarantee for each individual insurer, because each fund can set a rate above or below the average. More on this is in our guide additional contribution rate 2019 to 2027.
What does this mean for students?
Students in statutory health insurance pay contributions not on earnings but on a fixed assessment base. According to the GKV umbrella association, that base is 855 euros per month for 2026. The general contribution rate for students is 10.22 percent, and the insurer’s additional contribution is added in full.
| Component | Amount per month | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance without additional contribution | 87.38 euros | 855 euros times 10.22 percent, status 2026 |
| Additional contribution at 2.9 percent | 24.80 euros | calculated average, not insurer-specific |
| Total without long-term care insurance | 112.18 euros | calculated, status 2026 |
The table uses the average rate. Your insurer sets its own rate, so your amount can differ. Whether the assessment base changes from the winter term 2027/28 depends on a planned amendment of the BAföG (German student financing act). The draft mentions 943 euros per month. That is a scenario, not an adopted value.
Which figures are already official?
Officially fixed are the values that apply in 2026, for example the general contribution rate of 14.6 percent and the average additional contribution of 2.9 percent. The values for 2027 are estimates until they are fixed and published, or they appear only in a draft. Keep this distinction in mind for every figure.
Frequently asked questions
Is the act already in force?
The Bundestag resolution of 10 July 2026 is documented. Whether and when individual rules apply depends on the entry-into-force provisions of the act. The Federal Law Gazette is decisive, not an announcement or a headline.
Does the act only apply to students?
No. The act concerns statutory health insurance as a whole, that is employees, self-employed people, pensioners and family-insured persons. Some rules, such as those on copayments, apply to all insured persons. How strongly they affect you depends on your type of insurance.
Do I have to do anything myself?
An act does not usually require any action from you. It makes sense to check your insurer’s additional contribution at the turn of the year and to know the deadlines for changing insurer. Our guide changing health insurer as a student explains how a change works (in German).
Where do I find the official text?
The binding wording is in the Federal Law Gazette and on the website of the Federal Ministry of Health. When figures come from drafts, compare them with the final version, because values can change during the process.
How reliable are the figures for 2027?
The additional contribution for 2027 is an estimate by the Schätzerkreis, not a fixed amount. The contribution assessment ceiling for 2027 is part of a regulation draft that still needs the Bundesrat’s consent. Treat both figures as secure only once they are officially published.
What to do now
- Check in the Federal Law Gazette which rules apply to you and from which date.
- Follow the official fixing of your insurer’s additional contribution in the Federal Gazette and on your insurer’s website.
- Once the figures are fixed, compare them with the calculation examples in this guide.
- For questions about your personal situation, individual advice from Academycon is available.
Related guides
- Krankenkasse 2027: What changes for insured persons and students
- Average additional contribution 2027
- Copayments 2027
- Dental prostheses 2027
- Additional contribution 2027 for students (in German)
Sources: Federal Ministry of Health: press release on the Bundestag resolution of 10 July 2026, Federal Ministry of Health: FAQ on the GKV contribution rate stabilisation act, German Bundestag: printed paper 21/7023 of 8 July 2026, Federal Social Insurance Office: Schätzerkreis estimate, October 2026, GKV umbrella association: fact sheet on calculation variables, status 1 January 2026
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
