The co-payments for residents in Bavaria’s nursing homes have risen significantly over the past year. On July 1st, an average of 2448 euros per month was due in the home in the Free State in the first year, which was 266 euros more than in mid-2022, according to an evaluation by the Association of Substitute Health Insurance Funds. Bavaria is still below the national average of 2548 euros per month (348 euros more than in mid-2022).
Burdens continue to grow even with the relief surcharges that have since been introduced, which increase with the length of stay. With the highest surcharge from the fourth year in the home, the co-payments have now increased to an average of 1583 euros per month – an increase of 126 euros per month within one year. Here, too, the nationwide average value of 1738 euros per month is significantly higher, as can be seen from the new data available from the German Press Agency.
On the one hand, the sums include the personal contribution for pure care and support. Unlike health insurance, long-term care insurance only pays part of the costs. For residents of the home, there are also costs for accommodation, meals and investments in the facilities.
Since 2022, in addition to the payments from the long-term care insurance fund, there has also been a relief surcharge. The personal contribution only for pure care is reduced by five percent in the first year in the home, by 25 percent in the second, by 45 percent in the third, and by 70 percent from the fourth year on. After a reform by Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD), the surcharges are to be increased at the beginning of 2024. Without surcharges, it would now be an average of 2515 euros per month for everyone in Bavaria as a total co-payment, 277 euros more than on July 1st a year ago. Nationwide, the value is even 2610 euros per month.
In Bavaria, the personal contribution alone for pure care rose by 217 euros to an average of 1332 euros within twelve months. The reason is primarily rising wages for nursing staff, as explained by the Association of Substitute Funds. Measures for fair payment should be supported. However, it cannot be the case that the steadily increasing costs have to be shouldered for the most part by those in need of care.
For the evaluation, remuneration agreements between the long-term care insurance funds and homes in all federal states were evaluated. The data refer to residents with care grades 2 to 5.