Berlin. Germany's center-left Social Democrats (SPD) are pressing Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) to push through a cost-cutting package for public health insurers before the Bundestag's summer recess.

Germany races to reform health insurance amid €15.3 billion funding crisis

"We want to advance the process swiftly but with the necessary care," Christos Pantazis, the SPD's health policy spokesperson, told Der Spiegel. His goal, he said, is to "complete the legislative process before the summer break—ideally with a third reading in the final session week in July."

Warken had struck a more cautious tone on Monday when presenting her commission's report. She said she aimed to introduce the reform to the cabinet by July at the latest, which would make parliamentary approval no earlier than autumn.

For Pantazis, that is not soon enough. While he acknowledged that thoroughness matters more than speed, he stressed the need to "quickly arrive at sustainable, consensus-based solutions." Though the ministry has yet to release a timeline, he said coalition negotiations would begin "immediately after Easter."

The commission led by Warken proposed 66 measures on Monday, targeting savings of up to €42 billion by 2027. The funding shortfall for next year alone stands at €15.3 billion.

On Tuesday, Warken reaffirmed her commitment to a sweeping austerity package worth €40 billion. "First, we must achieve the savings needed to stabilize contribution rates," she told broadcasters RTL and ntv. "For next year, that means over €15 billion. But we can't just think about next year—we need to keep contributions stable in the years ahead. That requires deeper cuts."

She emphasized that the package must close the 2027 gap while also ensuring long-term impact. "This is crucial so people can rely on stable contributions and have financial certainty," she said. "If we look at the €40 billion deficit in statutory health insurance by 2030—and if we want to close that gap to keep rates steady through 2030—then savings must reach that scale."

Some measures would take effect quickly, she noted, while others would phase in gradually, showing results only in later years. "We must factor in our goal of stable contributions through 2030—and that means closing the gap by then."