The Greens party is rejecting proposals put forward during the care reform, particularly those that would impose a greater financial burden on employed individuals without children. According to Simone Fischer, the Greens’ parliamentary spokesperson, Health Minister Nina Warken’s (CDU) reform framework appears to be a collection of uncoordinated, reactive proposals rather than a unified and viable overall strategy.
Fischer criticized the current trajectory, pointing out that while a formal draft proposal is still pending, the plans seem to dictate that those requiring care should pay more, family caregivers should face difficulties with pension contributions, and now, childless individuals are being additionally penalized. “This approach neither builds trust nor ensures the stable financing necessary for the care insurance” she stated.
The basis for this objection includes media reports indicating that Warken intends to raise the contribution surcharge for employees without children by 0.1 percent. Fischer firmly disagrees with this path. She argues that instead of continuously targeting new categories of citizens to fund the system, a balanced and sustainable reform is urgently required-one that includes adequate contributions from the federal government.
The social care insurance has been compensating for non-insured services for years. Fischer also noted that Warken had initially pledged to reimburse the nearly six billion euros in extra costs incurred during the Corona pandemic at the start of her legislative term. So far, however, she has reportedly failed to secure approval for this funding from the Finance Minister. Furthermore, Fischer suggested that if the federal government took over some of the pension insurance contributions for caregiving family members, the burden on the care insurance system would be significantly reduced.
Fischer concluded that the social care insurance can only achieve stability if its foundation is broadened and made robust, requiring more people to participate in its financing according to their capacity. Stressing that “short-term loans and subsidies do not solve structural problems” she warned the Funke newspapers that the challenges in the care sector cannot be permanently shifted onto workers, pensioners, or those requiring care.
