Well-being is the focus here. Upcoming Health Conference - Urgent demands for swift changes in the financial system related to nursing care.
There's been an increase in the number of people requiring assistance, leading to increasing calls for financial changes before the 2025 federal elections. Verena Bentele, president of Social Association VdK, emphasized the need for immediate action, stating, "The situation for care recipients and their caregivers is deteriorating rapidly." The union Verdi urged for a prompt solution to this critical issue.
However, federal health minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) doubted the possibility of a reform this legislative period due to disagreements within the coalition. Nevertheless, Sylvia Bühler, Vice President of Verdi, insisted, "There should be no more delays. SPD and Greens must step up and push through the essential care reform. Firstly, the care insurance must be relieved of non-insured services. Those providing pensions for caregivers should be funded through tax revenues. A 'solidarity care guarantee' that covers all care-related expenses for all, based on income, is vital."
But what about raising contributions?
The Association of Health Insurance Funds in North Rhine-Westphalia shared their concerns with the "Rheinische Post": "The sustainability of the entire system is in jeopardy, which might lead to a potential contribution rate increase as early as 2025." Funds predict that they'll be spending more than they receive in the first quarter of 2025. For this reason, the federal government might increase the contribution rate through a legal mandate.
Although the Ampel coalition had planned to secure the care insurance's finances until 2025, the employee contribution for people without kids rose to 4%, and for those with one child, it went up to 3.4%. Employer contributions rose to 1.7%. Families with at least two children receive a lower contribution than before in the employee category.
Green faction vice-chair Maria Klein-Schmeink acknowledged, "Our priority is to have care equitably and reliability financed - and as soon as possible." By funding services not covered by care insurance through tax revenue, they aim to achieve this, including monthly pension allowances for caregivers.
Wissler, Left Party chairwoman, urged for a comprehensive 'solidarity insurance' where everyone would contribute based on their income. The Catholic Caritas Association advocated for stronger support, particularly for families caring for people at home. Eva Maria Welskop-Deffaa, President of the Catholic Caritas Association, said to the newspapers of the Funke Media Group, "We need to establish a social infrastructure that aids caregivers around the clock."
Lauterbach had issued a warning on Monday, highlighting an "explosive increase" in people requiring care. The top association of health insurance funds revealed that approximately 35,000 more individuals required care than usual, resulting in a total of 361,000.
Social expert Bernd Raffelhuschen suggested a one-year self-participation of those affected in the costs. He maintained, "The cost avalanche can't be stopped anymore. To alleviate the situation, we must implement a care leave as soon as possible." Care-dependent individuals would then take responsibility for the first year's care costs. "It is essential that payments flow from the care insurance only after that." Raffelhuschen projected a significant surge in the contribution rate: "The care insurance could rise to around seven percent for people without children by 2040."
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Source: www.stern.de
