The chief ministers of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia have secured backing from CDU experts in West Germany regarding their criticisms of the ongoing care reform.
Federal Care Commissioner Katrin Staffler stated that she is personally dedicated to ensuring that the planned reduction of annuity points for relatives who provide care is averted. Speaking to the specialized service “Tagesspiegel Background,” she expressed confidence that this objective would be met following current discussions. However, Staffler noted that reforming the system is a complex undertaking that requires thorough coordination both within the federal government and with the various states.
She outlined several challenges facing the system: co-payments remain high, home care needs considerable strengthening, and preventative measures and digitalization are not yet meaningful parts of daily care life. Furthermore, she insisted that the care insurance scheme must finally be financed in a sustainable manner, pointing out that “it does not help if the responsibility for this is continually passed from one party to the other.”
Echoing the need for systemic change, Klaus Holetschek, the CSU faction leader in the Bavarian Landtag, emphasized that care should not ultimately lead citizens into social welfare. He argued that if high co-payments affect low retirement incomes, society must adopt counter measures. Holetschek supported the “approach taken by their Eastern colleagues,” advocating that co-payments be capped, non-insurance benefits be financed through taxes, home care be strengthened, and municipalities should not be burdened with excessive responsibility. He believes this strategy is “an important contribution to fair and affordable care.”
