The bodies of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds are the Members’ Assembly, the Administrative Council, the Board and a Specialist Advisory Council, each having a different scope of functions.
Members’ Assembly
In the start-up phase of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds, the first task of the Members’ Assembly was to elect the first Administrative Council. It will meet in future if the bodies of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds need to reconstitute in an ordinary Members’ Assembly because of social elections; if, for an important reason, the Administrative Council decides in favour of an oral presentation of its annual report to the members of the Members’ Assembly through its alternating Chairs or if the Administrative Council wants to obtain a vote by the Members’ Assembly.
Administrative Council
The Administrative Council is to adopt the Statutes and other provisions of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds. Furthermore, it must take all decisions which are of fundamental significance for the health insurance funds and their National Association. This includes in particular fundamental health, long-term care and social policy issues, fundamental questions related to health care development, contracting and telematics. Four specialist committees have been formed in order to provide specialist support to the Administrative Council and give recommendations with regard to its resolutions: the specialist committee on “Fundamental Issues and Health Policy”, the specialist committee on “Organisation and Finance”, the specialist committee on “Contracts and Health Care”, and the specialist committee on “Prevention, Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care”.
The Administrative Council elects the Board and from among its members the Chair and the Deputy Chair, and agrees all contractual arrangements. It decides on the allocation of the duties of the Board in agreement with the latter, and defines guidelines for its work. The Administrative Council submits an annual business report to all member funds regarding the activities of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds, and establishes the budget.
Board
The Board of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds consists of three persons who carry out their work on a full-time basis. Their term of office is as a rule six years. Within the guidelines issued by the Board, each member of the Board manages his/her portfolio on his/her own responsibility.
The Board heads the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds and represents it in and out of court unless otherwise provided by the law. The Board must report to the Administrative Council on the implementation of decisions that are of fundamental significance, the financial situation and probable developments. Taking account of the interests of the member funds and of their representatives, it ensures efficient and practical modi operandi of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds. The Board draws up the overall budget plan. In agreement with the Chairs of the Administrative Council, it appoints the head of the office of self-government.
Steering and Coordination Committee
The Steering and Coordination Committee of the GKV-Spitzenverband is consulted on decisions relating to care. The Steering and Coordination Committee cannot make binding decisions on its own. However, it must be involved in the decision-making process of the Board of the GKV-Spitzenverband on the topics specified by law and must agree to them in principle.
The Steering and Coordination Committee consists of one female and one male managing director of each type of fund. The members are elected by the members of the Administrative Council of the GKV-Spitzenverband of the respective type of fund. The term of office corresponds to that of the Board.