Several nursing associations have warned that high fuel prices threaten the reliable care of patients in rural areas. According to Sarah Lukuc, the chairwoman of the Federal Association for Care Management, mobile care services are particularly impacted by rising fuel costs because they require comprehensive coverage across wide areas. Lukuc noted that the resulting additional costs cannot typically be financed in the short term, warning that service reductions, particularly in rural regions, are a threat.
Markus Mai, the chairman of the German Nursing Association, stated to the press that the sector faces significant difficulty absorbing the increased operating costs. He explained that the fixed calculation rates are unsuitable for permanently offsetting such cost explosions. Furthermore, private care services do not have full pricing autonomy, as the fees for individual services are regulated by tariffs agreed upon with the nursing insurance funds.
Mai called for immediate action, urging the federal government to quickly intervene and implement measures to sustainably curb the rise in gasoline prices. He specifically advocated for government-fixed maximum prices, arguing that this would prevent the economic situation from forcing services to cease operation, thereby jeopardizing regional care security. He stressed that the impact of these rising costs is especially dramatic in large, sparsely populated areas.
