Federal Minister of Health

Federal Health Ministers from 2006 to Today

Terms in Office, Parties, and Pivotal Projects

Since 2003, the German Ministry of Health has been led by six different ministers, each of whom set specific accents in health policy. The year 2003 marks the industry entry of the author of this compendium.

This overview analyzes the mandates of the federal health ministers against the backdrop of party-political orientations and the central reform projects of their terms.

Ulla Schmidt (SPD)

→ 2005-2009 - Prevention as a National Task

Ulla Schmidt had led the ministry since 2001 and decisively shaped the health policy of the Grand Coalition until 2009. Her most significant legacy was the Prevention Act, passed in 2005, which for the first time created binding frameworks for health prevention 3. Schmidt established prevention as the fourth pillar of the health system alongside treatment, rehabilitation, and care. With annual funding of 250 million euros, she laid the foundation for nationwide awareness campaigns and life-world interventions 3. However, critics accused her of insufficiently implementing the integration of pension and accident insurance.

Philipp Rösler (FDP)

→ 2009-2011 - Liberal Market Orientation

The youngest health minister of the Federal Republic (taking office at 36 years old) set a milestone with the Pharmaceutical Market Reorganisation Act (AMNOG) in 2011 4 12. It broke the price monopoly of the pharmaceutical industry through mandatory benefit assessments of new medications, leading to savings of 1.5 billion euros annually 4. At the same time, Rösler came under pressure due to accusations of lobbying when he implemented PKV-friendly regulations such as shorter switching periods to private insurance 12. His attempt to cut general practitioner contracts failed due to resistance from the medical profession.

Daniel Bahr (FDP)

→ 2011-2013 - Reforms in Small Steps

Bahr's term was characterized by the implementation of AMNOG and first steps toward care reform. In 2012, he introduced additional benefits for dementia patients, which were criticized as "little reforms" 5. His plan to redefine care levels failed when the responsible expert panel withdrew 5. Bahr gained historical significance through the introduction of the eGK system (electronic health card), the nationwide implementation of which he initiated in 2013.

Hermann Gröhe (CDU)

→ 2013-2018 - Digitalization Offensive

Gröhe consistently advanced the digitalization of the healthcare system. In 2016, the Bundestag passed the E-Health Act at his initiative, paving the way for telemedicine and electronic patient records 6. His visit to the Ebola vaccine manufacturer MSD in 2017 underscored the focus on pandemic preparedness 6. His hospital financing policy was critically evaluated, as it reportedly exacerbated regional differences in care.

Jens Spahn (CDU)

→ 2018-2021 - Structural Reforms

Spahn's hospital financing reform of 2019 revolutionized the financial equalization between health insurance funds through risk-adjusted distribution of the 220 billion euro annual funds 7. The introduction of a "risk pool" for high-cost patients and the inclusion of 360 diagnostic groups instead of the previous 80 aimed for more equitable distribution 7. At the same time, his attempt to achieve full freedom of choice of insurance failed due to the resistance of the federal states. The COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020 dominated his second term.

Karl Lauterbach (SPD)

→ since 2021 - System Transformation

Lauterbach initiated the most comprehensive hospital reform in decades, passed in 2024 8 10. It provides for quality standards, debt relief assistance, and closure of overcapacities. At the same time, he pushes digitalization with the introduction of the electronic patient record (ePA) 11. His pandemic policy with controversial measures such as the vaccination mandate for healthcare workers polarized the public 10. He is currently working on implementing the planned citizen insurance model.

Continuity and Disruptions

The analysis shows how party-political priorities (SPD: prevention, CDU: structural reforms, FDP: market liberalization) shaped the agenda, while digitalization and hospital financing show continuity across party lines. The COVID-19 pandemic marks a rupture that will sustainably influence future health policy.