AOK self-administration: Democracy in action
The principle is simple: the State entrusts statutory health insurance funds with certain tasks that serve the public interest, in this case health care provision for its citizens. The health insurance funds come under the legal supervision of regulatory bodies, but within their remit they are free to administer their own affairs to the benefit of their members. The rationale is that a self-administered organization can respond to changing needs and challenges more rapidly and flexibly than the State.
Stakeholders have a voice. Every six years all members of the statutory health insurance funds are called upon to determine the composition of the health insurance funds’ new Administrative Boards in what is known as "social elections". Half the Boards’ representatives are elected by the employers, the other half by the members. This is because both sides share in the financing of the health insurance funds in roughly equal measure. The Administrative Board is accountable for the fund’s budget and its general political course. It also elects and oversees the Management Board.
Self-administration of the Federal Association. One Administrative Board member representing insureds and another representing employers from each of the 14 individual AOKs convene to form the Supervisory Board of the Federal Association.