Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has defended the plans for a long-term care reform in order to achieve relief and more stable financing. "The people in need of care have earned our full solidarity," said the SPD politician of the German press Agency. "As the costs of good care rise, the solidarity community must not look the other way and leave these higher costs to the caregivers and their relatives." In the homes, but especially in the care at home, the services would have to be significantly improved. "At the same time, it is important to stabilize the financing of statutory long-term care insurance."
According to a draft bill of the Ministry, the care contribution is to be increased "moderately by 1.0 percentage points" on 35 July. Currently, it is 3.05 percent of the gross wage, for people without children at 3.4 percent. At the same time, according to a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, the contribution rate is to be differentiated more strongly according to the respective number of children. On 1 January 2024, the care allowance for people in need of care at home is to increase by five percent. For people in need of care in the home, existing relief surcharges are to be increased.
Lauterbach said: "In a human society, caring for the very elderly must be worth more to us. We will not accept that more and more people slip into social welfare after a busy life."
Criticism from associations and opposition
The draft has already met with much criticism from the opposition, health insurance companies and patient representatives. The social association VdK urgently called for more support for people in need of care at home. "The adjustment of the care allowance by five percent is not enough with the current price increases front and back," said President Verena Bentele the editorial network Germany (RND). Bavaria's Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) warned against passing on deficits to contributors. "Employees and employers are not infinitely resilient," he told the RND and called for the financing of non-insurance benefits with tax subsidies.
According to the draft, the greater differentiation of the contribution according to the number of children would lead to families with three or more children paying less than now. Currently, the contribution rate for people with children is 3.05 percent – of which employers and employees each bear 1.525 percent. In the future, the contribution for families with three children would be 3.10 percent – of which 1.40 percent for them and 1.70 percent for the employer.
Overall, there would be a greater difference between contributions with and without children on 1 July – by increasing the general contribution by 0.35 points and at the same time increasing the supplement for childless persons by 0.25 points. According to an overview of the ministry available to dpa, this led to the contribution without children rising from 3.40 percent to 4.00 percent – of which 1.70 percent with the employer and 2.30 percent with the employer.