Felix Banaszak, co-leader of the Green Party, sharply criticized the care reform plans currently being discussed by the federal government. Speaking to ntv on Monday, Banaszak warned that if reforms are merely a veiled excuse for cuts-specifically targeting those without strong lobbying support-they will fail to gain support from the opposition or the public. He added that the Greens are ready to constructively contribute balanced reforms.
Banaszak expressed particular concern regarding potential reductions in the pension entitlements of informal caregivers. He described the government’s message as clear: “You won’t receive support, you won’t receive relief, you won’t see an expansion of day care facilities-instead, even your pension entitlements are being cut.” He highlighted that women, who take on the majority of informal caregiving duties, are most affected. Banaszak accused the government of effectively forcing people to place their parents into nursing facilities, where there is a severe lack of space and where the financing is significantly more expensive for the state.
Regarding the funding of care, Banaszak called for a financial exchange between the statutory and private health insurance funds. He pointed out the disparity: “One is reaching its limit, while the other has built up 40 billion in reserves.” Therefore, he argued, money must flow from the private system into the statutory one. Banaszak stressed that if reforms are meant to be serious, they must genuinely impact the people and must also challenge privileges.
