During the ongoing debate regarding the federal government’s reform agenda, the Minister President of Saarland, Anke Rehlinger, has called for a cap on the out-of-pocket costs for residents in nursing homes. Speaking to the newspapers of Funke-Mediengruppe, the SPD Vice-Chairwoman stated, “Reforms must improve people’s lives. With the care reform, we should limit the costs of institutional care for those affected.” Rehlinger advocated for a care cost ceiling that would limit the personally responsibility portion for those needing care to €1,500 per month.
Rehlinger added that her suggestion is financially feasible within the existing insurance system and would “relieve the burden on care recipients and their relatives many times over.” She did not provide specific details on the funding mechanism. For context, according to the Association of Substitute Funds (vdek), the average monthly out-of-pocket cost for a place in a nursing home nationwide is €3,364.
The politician framed her demands within the context of the government’s broader reform discussions. “This is a point that can also be actively promoted as part of an overall package,” the SPD politician said. This discussion about the trajectory of the reforms was brought into focus following the AfD’s victory in the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, which prompted internal debate within the governing black-and-red coalition regarding whether the planned reforms should proceed in their current form.
Federal Health Minister Carsten Linnemann (CDU) had previously announced that he planned to revise the proposed care reform again. Among the intended changes is an adjustment to the financing of retirement contributions for family caregivers.
