Unaffordable for many - Additional payments for nursing home care continue to rise
Financial burden for care home residents continues to rise. On July 1st, the average expense in a care home in Sachsen-Anhalt was 2,373 Euro, which is 292 Euro more than the previous year. According to an analysis by the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds. Nationwide, residents are required to pay an average of 2,871 Euro per month out of pocket. This is 211 Euro more than in the middle of 2023.
The burdens are growing despite increased relief grants, which increase with the length of stay. With the highest grant starting from the fourth year of residence, the additional payment in Sachsen-Anhalt now averages 1,457 Euro. This is 116 Euro more than the previous fiscal year. Nationwide, an average of 1,865 Euro is due per month - an increase of 91 Euro compared to July 2023, as the data shows, which is available to the German Press Agency.
The costs include, among other things, the share for pure care and nursing. The nursing insurance only covers - unlike health insurance - a portion of the costs. For care home residents, there are additional costs for accommodation, food, and investments in the facilities. Training costs, which are also passed on by the homes, were included in the evaluation for the first time. This post was also included in the comparison values for July 2023, as explained.
Since 2022, in addition to payments from the nursing insurance, there are relief grants that were increased as part of a reform of the traffic light coalition from January 1, 2024. The share for pure care will therefore be 15% instead of the previous 5% in the first year in the home, 30% instead of 25% in the second year, 50% instead of 45% in the third year, and 75% instead of 70% from the fourth year. The reason for the increasing own contribution is mainly higher personnel costs for caregivers.
The head of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds, Ulrike Elsner, said in view of the rising own contribution: "This is also due to the fact that the states are ignoring their responsibility." Alone the assumed takeover of investment costs by the states would relieve residents by an average of 490 Euro per month. It is also the responsibility of the state to cover training costs. This must be addressed within the framework of the nursing reform announced by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD).
The analysis was based on contractual agreements between nursing insurance funds and care homes in all federal states. The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds includes, among others, the Techniker Health Insurance, Barmer, and DAK Health.
- In response to rising costs, some consumers in Germany are seeking additional payment options for long-term care insurance to help cover their expenses in care homes, such as those in Saxony-Anhalt, where the average monthly expense for home residents is 2,373 Euro.
- The German Press Agency reported that due to increased relief grants, the additional payment for care home residents in Sachsen-Anhalt now averages 1,457 Euro per month, with the highest grant starting from the fourth year of residence.
- Berlin's Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) announced a nursing reform in response to the increasing financial burden on care home residents, which includes addressing the state's responsibility to cover training costs and potential investment costs, which could reduce the average monthly contribution by 490 Euro.
- Magdeburg, a city in Saxony-Anhalt, joined several other German cities in urging the federal government to take action to reduce the financial burden on care home residents, stating that the state's current lack of involvement in addressing these costs is resulting in higher out-of-pocket expenses for residents, including those in Magdeburg and other parts of Saxony-Anhalt.
- The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds, which includes prominent organizations like Techniker Health Insurance, Barmer, and DAK Health, analyzed the impact of relief grants on the financial burden of care home residents and found that, despite the increased grants, residents are still required to pay an average of 2,871 Euro per month out-of-pocket.
