In health policy there is a tension between primarily the Member States' competence and the European internal market and competition law. In this tension the European Union has gradually extended their design standards. This is evident not only in legislation and case law, but also in the crisis management policy and economic policy coordination.
To increase the visibility of the advantages of the principles in kind, solidarity and self-management, brings the statutory health insurance through the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband) their expertise and positions to the legislative processes - for example, to the drug market or competition and strengthens its presence at the EU level. Together with the German Accident Insurance and German Statutory Pension Insurance Scheme bears the GKV-Spitzenverband the European Representation of the German Social Insurance System (DSVAE) and the European Social Insurance Platform (ESIP), a consortium of national social organizations from across Europe. Therefore the GKV-Spitzenverband is involved in the pharmaceutical workgroup Medicine Evaluation Committee (MEDEV), an association of national organizations of social health insurance and national authorities responsible for the Evaluation of Medicinal institutions. Its task is to exchange information and experience on the therapeutic added value and reimbursement systems of medicines as well as in influencing the opinion and the legislative process to drug issues.
At the international level the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds represents the interests together with other national authorities and entities in the field of social security at the International Social Security Association (ISSA). Furthermore the GKV-Spitzenverband takes part at informal forums at the international level - as at the G8 dementia summit in London. Here the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds was able to bring his experience and projects to high-ranking politicians and international social security institutions and health authorities in the discussion. Every three years, the World Forum of Social Security held in one of the Member States in which all delegates of 150 countries come together.