Nursing care insurance
Care: Lauterbach is looking for a way out of the financial crisis
Red numbers in long-term care insurance: Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is planning a stabilization campaign. (Archive photo) Photo
© Kay Nietfeld/dpa
Nursing care insurance is in financial trouble. Is there a risk of the next premium increase next year? The answer could be coming soon.
According to a ministry spokesman, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) will soon come up with a concept for the government, which is in great financial difficulties Present nursing care insurance. The spokesman told the German Press Agency that this should put the insurance company back on a more stable footing in both the short and long term.
According to a report by the Editorial Network Germany (RND), the traffic light coalition is working feverishly on an emergency operation. The RND, citing coalition circles, continues to write that there is a risk of insolvency. Lauterbach’s spokesman said he could not confirm the report in this form.
Lauterbach has emphasized several times in the recent past that nursing care insurance has both short-term and structural difficulties. “There are essentially three reasons for this: With the recent care reform, we have significantly relieved the burden on those in need of care in homes, care workers receive higher wages, and there are more people in need of care than expected.”
Nursing insurance expects red numbers for this year and next. In June, the umbrella association of statutory health insurance companies, which also represents nursing care funds, forecast a loss of 1.5 billion euros this year and 3.4 billion euros next year. Mathematically, this would correspond to a contribution increase of 0.2 points. According to the RND, the government is instead assuming a need for an increase of 0.25 to 0.3 points.
Lauterbach had announced a further care reform in view of the tense financial situation and at the end of August in the “Stern” also indicated further premium increases in health and nursing care insurance for 2025. The coalition had already implemented an initial reform. It brought relief for those in need of care with personal contributions, but also a higher contribution: for people without children it rose to 4 percent in mid-2023 and to 3.4 percent for contributors with one child. Families with at least two children now pay less – based on the employee share – than before.