What benefits do brokers and their private health insurance customers have from Heal Capital 2?

This week, the PKV Association presented the second venture capital fund of private health insurers: Heal Capital 2. Together with other institutional investors, the health insurers want to achieve a fund volume of “significantly more than 100 million euros” by the end of 2024. This money is to flow into start-up companies in the healthcare industry so that they can produce innovations. But what direct benefit can brokers actually derive from this for their privately insured customers?

According to Jens Wegner, team leader for topics at the PKV Association, both Heal Capital 2 and Heal Capital, which was launched four years ago, are each designed for ten years. “After this term, the aim is to sell the individual investments again.” This will generate returns for the PKV companies involved, which will be used in accordance with the individual investment strategy of the invested companies,” he explains on procontra-Demand.

This does not rule out the possibility that any returns from start-up investments could also be used, for example, to mitigate contribution adjustments.

The investments are intended to improve health services for everyone, including those with statutory insurance – this was emphasized at the presentation of Heal Capital 2. But could the innovative services resulting from the investments also serve directly as sales arguments for private health insurance products? Wegner first explains that there is no automated link between the investments and the scope of services in the individual tariffs.

Nevertheless, privately insured people can benefit directly from the innovations. As an example, he cites the company Formel Skin, in which the predecessor fund Heal Capital invested. The costs for its telemedical treatment of skin diseases as well as for prescription drugs and recipes are generally reimbursed by the private health insurance companies.

The PKV Association also hopes to achieve innovation and quality partnerships such as those with Formel Skin from Heal Capital 2’s investments.