@article{ref1,
title="Risk structure compensation in Germany's statutory health insurance",
journal="European journal of public health",
year="2001",
author="Busse, R.",
volume="11",
number="2",
pages="174-177",
abstract="In 1996 insurees in Germany's statutory health insurance system were given a right to choose their sickness fund. To ensure that all funds had an equal starting position, a risk structure compensation scheme based on income and average expenditure by age and sex was introduced. From an analysis of expenditure and transfers, data on sickness fund membership and a published survey, the following effects can be identified: sickness funds merged, with a reduction in number from 1,221 to 420 between 1993 and 2000; the risk compensation scheme narrowed differences in contribution rates; insurees left the more expensive funds for cheaper ones; and increasing transfer sums indicate further risk segregation. Thus, the compensation mechanism will have to be retained permanently, although modifications are likely.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1101-1262",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}