Failure must not be an option: the CDU/CSU and SPD must now deliver

Employers’ President Dr Rainer Dulger on the Report of the Health Financing Commission

Failure must not be an option: the CDU/CSU and SPD must now deliver

Berlin, 30 March 2026. “We welcome the courage and determination shown by the Commission. The proposals go beyond the coalition agreement and offer an opportunity to secure both: reliable healthcare provision for the insured and the long-term financial sustainability of the healthcare system.

We support Federal Minister Warken, who in the past has already addressed the need for reform of the healthcare system clearly and courageously. Now the CDU/CSU and SPD must prove whether the reform announcements made by their party leaders are credible. It will become clear whether the coalition merely talks about action or actually tackles structural reforms. Failure must not be an option.

The coalition should examine the Commission’s findings constructively and refrain from ruling anything out prematurely. The previous culture of exclusion and policy-making driven by outrage has pushed the system to the brink of collapse. The CDU/CSU and SPD must now swiftly develop a coherent package based on the Commission’s proposals.

The employers’ associations will continue to contribute to the debate on a sustainable reform of the healthcare system. Our concepts have been on the table for weeks.”