Health - Higher care costs in Bavaria's care homes - additional payments on the rise
For care-dependent individuals in nursing homes, self-payable costs have continued to rise. In Bavaria, the self-contribution for the first year in a home amounted to 2,814 Euro per month as of July 1st, an increase of 564 Euro compared to mid-2023, according to an analysis by the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds in Hannover.
The burden on care-dependent individuals and their families grows accordingly, despite increased relief contributions that increase with the length of stay. The average co-payment for the fourth year in a home reportedly rose to 1,735 Euro per month. This was 120 Euro more than the 1.715 Euro per month as of July 1st, 2023, according to data provided to the German Press Agency.
Cost increase less pronounced nationwide
According to the data, the costs also increased nationwide, albeit less pronounced than in Bavaria. The cost level in the national average was slightly higher than in the Free State. For the first year in a home, the self-payment amounted to an average of 2,871 Euro per month as of July 1st, which was 211 Euro more than mid-year 2023. The co-payment for the fourth year in a home rose to an average of 1,865 Euro per month, which was 91 Euro more than July 1st, 2023.
In the sums, the self-contribution for pure care and supervision is included. Since the statutory long-term care insurance covers - unlike health insurance - only a portion of the costs, additional costs for accommodation, food, and investments in the facilities apply for residents. Training costs, which are also passed on by the nursing homes, were included in the analysis for the first time. These costs were also included in the comparison values as of July 1st, 2023, as explained.
Higher relief contributions
Since 2022, in addition to payments from the long-term care insurance, there have been relief contributions that will be increased with a reform of the traffic light coalition from January 1, 2024. The self-contribution for pure care will therefore amount to 15% instead of the previous 5% in the first year in a 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 background for the increasing self-contribution is mainly higher personnel costs for caregivers.
The CEO of the Statutory Health Insurance Funds Association, Ulrike Elsner, commented on the rising self-contribution: "The fact that it is so high is also due to the fact that the states are ignoring their responsibility." The relief of care-dependent individuals and their families by the states alone would save an average of 490 Euro per month. The state should also bear the training costs. This should be addressed within the framework of the Pflegereform announced by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD).
- To alleviate these rising costs, the German Press Agency reported on higher relief contributions scheduled to begin on January 1, 2024, as part of the traffic light coalition's reform.
- People in need of care and their families in Munich, the capital of Bavaria, are among those impacted by these increased self-contributions for the first year in a nursing home, which reached 2,814 Euro per month as of July 1st.
- Despite the additional payment from the long-term care insurance and relief contributions, the maintenance costs for the fourth year in a home have also risen, reaching an average of 1,865 Euro per month nationwide.
- The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds in Hannover conducted an analysis revealing that the burden on care-dependent individuals and their families in Germany has grown due to the rising self-contributions, which not only cover care but also accommodation, food, and facility investments.
- The increasing self-contributions for pure care in nursing homes, particularly in Bavaria, are largely influenced by higher personnel costs, as noted by Ulrike Elsner, the CEO of the Statutory Health Insurance Funds Association.
