High additional payment for a place in a care home - Own contribution for nursing home care increases again
Care-dependent people in Rhineland-Palatinate have to pay an increasingly larger amount from their own pockets for a nursing home place. On average, 2,924 Euro per month were due at the beginning of the first year in the home on July 1, which was 132 Euro more than the previous year, according to an analysis by the Association of Health Insurance Funds. Nationwide, Rhinland-Palatinate is above the average monthly cost for the first year in a home of 2,871 Euro. This is 211 Euro more than in the middle of 2023.
The burdens continue to grow despite relief contributions, which increase with the length of stay. With the highest contribution from the fourth year in the home, the additional payment in Rhinland-Palatinate averaged 2,032 Euro per month. This is 86 Euro more than on July 1, 2023, as the data shows, which is available to the German Press Agency.
More than just care costs
The sums include, among other things, the own contribution for pure care and caregiving. Since the care insurance pays - unlike health insurance - only a part of the costs, the costs for accommodation, food, and investments in the facilities are also added for the residents and tenants in the home. Training costs, which are also passed on by the homes, were included in the evaluation for the first time. This was also taken into account in the comparison values for July 1, 2023.
If their own assets and income, such as pensions, do not cover the costs for a place in a nursing home, the social welfare office steps in on request under certain conditions. Benefits from the care insurance are received by those who are insured and have had a care grade determined.
Since 2022, in addition to payments from the care insurance, there have been relief contributions, which were increased as part of a reform of the traffic light coalition from January 1, 2024. The own contribution for pure care will then be reduced by 15% instead of the previous 5% in the first year in the home, by 30% instead of 25% in the second year, by 50% instead of 45% in the third year, and by 75% instead of 70% from the fourth year. The background for the increasing own contribution is mainly higher personnel costs for caregivers.
The head of the Health Insurance Funds Association, Ulrike Elsner, said in view of the rising own contribution: "That it is so high is also due to the fact that the states are ignoring their responsibility." Alone the assumed assumption of the investment costs by the states would relieve residents and tenants on average by 490 Euro per month. It is also the responsibility of the state to cover training costs. This should be resolved within the framework of the care reform announced by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD).
The analysis was based on contractual agreements between care insurance funds and nursing homes in all federal states. The Health Insurance Funds Association includes, among others, the Techniker Health Insurance, Barmer, and DAK Health.
Consumer information on care costs from the Consumer Center.
- Individuals residing in Rhineland-Palatinate, who require care, are expected to make a larger own contribution towards the cost of their home placement, with an average of 2,924 Euro per month in the first year, as revealed by the Association of Health Insurance Funds.
- Despite relief contributions that escalate with the duration of stay, the responsibility for covering an additional payment of 2,032 Euro per month, on average, falls on care-dependent individuals in Rhineland-Palatinate during their fourth year in a nursing home.
- In order to accommodate the rising costs of a nursing home place, which is primarily due to increased personnel expenses for caregivers, the state's role in assuming investment costs and covering training costs becomes increasingly crucial.
- Consumers seeking information on care costs can turn to the Consumer Center for valuable insights, aided by the comprehensive analysis conducted by the Health Insurance Funds Association, which includes prominent organizations such as Techniker Health Insurance, Barmer, and DAK Health.
