The pressure is escalating on Germany’s reform commission tasked with overhauling the nation’s care insurance system, as the Union faction within parliament voices concerns about the pace and scope of proposed changes. Simone Borchardt, the Union’s health policy spokesperson, emphasized the need for tangible results, warning against a situation where announced reforms remain merely promises.
While acknowledging the recently presented preliminary points as “an important first step” Borchardt insisted the commission must deliver a sustainable system that is both financially viable, equitable and reliable, safeguarding the future of care for those in need, their families and the workforce providing that care. Key to the Union’s stance is maintaining the solidarity of the care insurance system while avoiding an undue burden on younger generations. Borchardt advocated for a fundamental rethinking of care provision, moving beyond bureaucratic processes and prioritizing preventative measures and strengthening in-home care services.
The Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB), a major civil society organization, has sharply criticized the government’s approach, arguing that the interim results demonstrate a cautious and inadequate interpretation of the state’s social responsibilities. ASB Chief Executive Uwe Martin Fichtmüller asserted that care should not be viewed as a cost to be managed, but as a fundamental promise to citizens. He cautioned against sacrificing solidarity in the pursuit of perceived sustainability, arguing robust care provision represents a social responsibility and a cornerstone of intergenerational fairness.
Fichtmüller framed the care insurance crisis as emblematic of a broader malaise within the German social state, accusing policymakers of prioritizing stability while shying away from necessary financial and structural reforms. He warned against equating sustainability with austerity measures, asserting that maintaining existing contribution rates requires honest and transparent financing, primarily through taxation rather than concealed reductions in benefits. The ASB executive condemned the continued subsidization of non-insurance-related expenses from contribution payments and the neglect of investment obligations by regional governments. He concluded by criticizing the danger of policy evasion through vague terminology, insisting that genuine sustainability and efficiency demands addressing funding gaps and moving beyond rhetorical exercises.
