Federal Health Minister Carsten Linnemann (CDU) does not rule out cuts to long-term care insurance benefits. “We have to save around ten per cent,” Linnemann told the “Handelsblatt”, as t-online.de reported on Wednesday, 28 October. “Of course I cannot guarantee that there will be no benefit cuts in one place or another.” Long-term care insurance has a structural financing problem.
To justify this, the minister pointed to the increased number of people in need of care: it had grown from two to more than six million within 20 years. Without reform, according to his figures, a deficit of around eight billion euros would have accumulated for 2027. In future Linnemann wants to steer benefits more precisely: “We must help more precisely those who really need it,” he told the “Handelsblatt”.
On co-payments for those with statutory health insurance, the minister ruled out a further increase next year. “I would be mad to tackle the issue of co-payments again next year after we have already increased them this year,” said Linnemann. Further increases could not be the means of limiting the costs of statutory health insurance. He left open whether further savings measures would be necessary in 2027; he wanted first to wait for the proposals of the Health Financing Commission. His goal was stable health insurance contributions also beyond 2027; in the medium term they would even have to fall again.
At the start of the week, the Care Commission appointed by the federal government began its work. According to Linnemann, the 13 experts intend to withdraw and present their results “at the end of January”. Several hearings are also planned – with those affected, service providers and municipalities. The opposition warned against further cuts.
