German health insurers are urged to pay rebates to members as surplus reaches record high

Germany’s huge state health insurance system is continuing the recent trend of collecting more money than it is spending, posting a surplus of €2.7bn (£2.2bn; $3.5bn) in the first half of 2012, the German health ministry has said.1

The system, made up of independent insurers regulated by the government and covering around 90% of the population, collected €94.82bn in premiums in the first half of 2012 and spent €92.13bn.

This first six month surplus of €2.7bn compares with a full year surplus last year of €4bn and suggests that the total surplus for 2012 will exceed last year’s.

The ministry …