Working pensioners lose sick pay above two-thirds partial pension

Working pensioners who draw their old-age pension as a partial pension face a sharp cut from 2027. Under the GKV-Beitragssatzstabilisierungsgesetz, commonly called the BStabG or the health-fund reformDeutsche Rentenversicherung, drawing an Alters-Teilrente of more than two-thirds (66.66 percent) of the full pension extinguishes the statutory Krankengeld claim entirelyDeutsche Rentenversicherung. The Deutsche Rentenversicherung dates the cut to 1 January 2027.

Until now, pensioners who kept working could draw a Teilrente of 99.99 percent — nearly the full pension — while retaining the full statutory sick-pay entitlement during continued employment.Deutsche Rentenversicherung That combination ends: anyone who wants financial protection during longer illness while working must limit the partial pension to no more than 66.66 percentDeutsche Rentenversicherung. Drawing a 99.99 percent Teilrente and Krankengeld at the same time will no longer be possible.Deutsche Rentenversicherung The Deutsche Rentenversicherung describes working Teilrente recipients as particularly hard hit by the statute, which brings noticeable financial cuts and legal changes for pensioners from 2027. For those affected, the choice is binary: accept a lower partial pension of at most two-thirds to keep sick-pay cover, or keep the higher partial pension and bear the income risk of longer illness themselves.

The statutory anchor is the amended section 50(1) sentence 1 No 1 of Book V of the Social CodeBund: the new wording lists a full disability pension, an old-age partial pension of more than two-thirds of the full pension, or a full old-age pension from the statutory pension insuranceBund. The statute's commencement article brings its Artikel 1 Nummern 20 bis 23 group of amendments into force on 1 January 2027.Bund

Pensioners can change their Teilrente or switch to a full pension at any time for the future, via the Deutsche Rentenversicherung online service or in writing.Deutsche Rentenversicherung For the change to take effect on 1 January 2027, the request must have reached the Deutsche Rentenversicherung no later than 31 December 2026.

Legal basis: Gesetz zur Stabilisierung der Beitragssätze in der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung (GKV-Beitragssatzstabilisierungsgesetz, BGBl 2026 I Nr. 228)Bund, amending § 50 Absatz 1 Satz 1 Nummer 1 SGB VBund.