Higher own shares - Living in a care home is becoming more expensive - co-payments are rising
For those in need of care, they must pay more out-of-pocket in Lower Saxony nursing homes once again. On average across the state, 2,528 Euro are payable per month in the first year in a nursing home - 137 Euro more than a year ago and around 600 Euro more than three years ago, according to calculations by the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (vdek) as of July 1, 2022.
The costs for a place in a nursing home consist of several parts. On the one hand, there is the contribution for pure care and supervision. The care insurance only covers - unlike health insurance - a portion of the costs. In addition, residents must pay for accommodation, food, and investments in the facilities themselves. For the first time, training costs were included in the evaluation on July 1, which are also passed on by the homes. This post was also included in the comparison values for July 1, 2023.
Costs are also rising nationwide
Since 2022, in addition to payments from the care insurance, there have been special relief contributions that were increased as part of the coalition reform on January 1. The contribution for pure care will therefore be 15% instead of 5% in the first year in the nursing 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 onwards.
According to the calculations of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds as of July 1, 2022, the out-of-pocket costs in the first year in a nursing home amounted to 2,871 Euro per month on average nationwide. This is 211 Euro more than the middle of 2023. The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds includes, among others, the Techniker Health Insurance, Barmer, KKH Workmen's Accident Insurance, and DAK-Gesundheit.
Most expensive in North Rhine-Westphalia
In Bremen, self-payable contributions in the first year to July 1 increased by 433 Euro compared to the previous year. A total of 3,070 Euro were payable, which had to be paid out of pocket. Regional differences were significant - the cheapest place in a nursing home in the first year of residence is currently in Saxony-Anhalt with 2,373 Euro per month. The most expensive place is in North Rhine-Westphalia with 3,200 Euro and in Baden-Württemberg with 3,180 Euro.
The Association called for a fundamental financing reform of the care insurance at the federal level. "The goal must be to relieve nursing home residents," emphasized the leader of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds in Lower Saxony, Hanno Kummer. "A pension in this federal state no longer covers the cost of a nursing home place by far: 'That means: Many people who have worked for decades are dependent on social welfare at the end of their lives.'" The background of the rising contributions are mainly higher labor costs in care.
Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds: Protect nursing home residents from overburdening.
Kummer stated: "It's crucial now to establish a solid financing base as soon as possible and at the same time protect the nursing home residents from financial overburdening." To alleviate the financial burden on the care-dependent individuals in the short term, he also sees the state as being responsible: "Lower Saxony should cover the investment costs, just like for hospitals." Currently, nursing home residents bear the costs for building maintenance and equipment. These amount to an average of 516 Euro per resident in Lower Saxony per month.
The Federal Health Ministry will present a concept for a nursing home reform in the fall. It will focus on a comprehensive package for more capacity in nursing personnel, stronger prevention of care dependency, and closing a financial gap - as the nursing insurance expects deficits for 2024 and 2025.
- Residents in Lower Saxony nursing homes will need to make an additional payment of 137 Euro per month in the first year, as revealed by the vdek calculations on July 1, 2022.
- Besides the care contribution covered by insurance, residents in North Rhine-Westphalia might need to make an own contribution of up to 3,200 Euro per month, which is significantly higher than other states like Saxony-Anhalt with 2,373 Euro.
- The German Press Agency reported that Kummer, the leader of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds in Lower Saxony, called for a federal financing reform to alleviate the financial burden on nursing home residents.
- As a part of the coalition reform on January 1, 2022, there are special relief contributions that have increased the cost of care in the first year by 15%, while this number will rise to 75% from the fourth year onwards.
- The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds, which includes institutions like Techniker Health Insurance, Barmer, and KKH Workmen's Accident Insurance, warned about the increasing financial burdens on nursing home residents.
