Jan van Aken, leader of Die Linke party, has strongly criticized the federal government’s proposed nursing care reform and called for social protests from those affected by the changes. Speaking to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Van Aken declared that the cutback package put forward by Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) represents “the biggest blow against working people covered by nursing insurance in the history of the Federal Republic.” He warned that this reform would push more individuals requiring care into dependency on social welfare benefits. The changes also impact supporting family members and every hard-working citizen, who Ver Aken stated are losing the security they rely upon from this scheme in an emergency.
Van Aken leveled serious accusations against the minister, claiming that Warken is committing nothing less than “social theft.” Die Linke plans to use nationwide social protests to scandalize what it calls the “Warken madness.” He generally opposes the government’s reform efforts, demanding that the current trend of cutbacks must stop.
The specific aspects of Health Minister Warken’s nursing care insurance package include raising the contribution assessment limit for higher earners. Furthermore, childless individuals will be required to pay an extra 0.7% instead of 0.6%. The measure also involves limiting the provision for free supplementary coverage for spouses and increasing costs for residents of nursing homes. Adding to the concern is that caregiving relatives may receive fewer pension payments; contributions channeled from nursing insurance to the pension fund will be restricted to 70 percent of their former level.
