A share in a nursing home could be capped
People living in nursing homes have to pay more and more themselves - financial burdens for care-dependent individuals and their families have been rising for years. Federal Health Minister Lauterbach is now offering relief. A cap on the self-pay contribution is being considered - possibly already in the fall.
Facing rising financial burdens for care-dependent individuals and their families, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is considering a cap on the self-pay contribution. He told ARD Hauptstadtstudio: "We need to perhaps work with a cap for the self-pay contribution. We are currently examining this."
Additionally, it is being investigated how investment costs can be more evenly distributed among the states. "The states are doing too little. This falls on the feet of the insured, the care recipients," said Lauterbach. Despite cost containment measures, the self-pay contribution continued to rise according to an analysis by the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds. As of July 1, the average monthly cost in a nursing home nationwide was 2,871 euros out of pocket - 211 euros more than in mid-2023.
Reasons for the higher costs include increased energy and food costs, as well as higher wages for care workers. The burdens also increase with additional relief payments that depend on the duration of the nursing home stay. So, demands for further easing before the Bundestag election in 2025 are growing louder.
Lauterbach also referred to the fact that self-payments decrease if care-dependent individuals have to be stationarily cared for for several years. "But there is still a lot left," said the Health Minister. "For new care-dependent individuals who may only live in care for a year or two, this is a significant burden. We will come up with a regulation in the fall," said Lauterbach. The Minister did not specify how high the cap on the self-pay contribution should be in his view.
In an effort to alleviate rising costs for care-dependent individuals and their families, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is proposing a cap on self-pay contributions. This policy shift comes after an analysis by the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds showed a 211 euro increase in the average monthly self-pay contribution for nursing home care, from July 1 to mid-2023. The Minister acknowledges that the burden is particularly significant for individuals who may only need care for a short period, promising regulatory action by fall.
