Matthias Miersch, the leader of the SPD parliamentary group, has announced that the Social Democratic Party will not support Health Minister Carsten Linnemann’s planned care reform within the Bundestag. Speaking to Bild am Sonntag, Miersch criticized the current proposal from the Ministry of Health, asserting that it is primarily a bundle of cuts and currently lacks the necessary structural reforms. Although he admits that the ministry could still adjust the plan, Miersch stated that the SPD parliamentary group cannot support a purely reduction-focused package in its current form.
According to Linnemann’s plans, the federal government intends to approve the legislative draft in the cabinet on Wednesday. The reform was previously worked on by his predecessor and current Federal Minister of the Chancellor’s Office, Nina Warken (CDU). It is designed to close the financial deficit in the care insurance system through various reductions. Despite these setbacks, Miersch acknowledges the need for reform, noting that the number of people requiring care has more than doubled since 2017, creating a genuine funding gap. However, he rejects the idea of implementing cuts before proceeding with systemic changes in a second reform phase next year. Instead, Miersch is demanding immediate structural reforms that integrate both cost savings and additional revenue streams.
Miersch has drawn a firm red line regarding the conditions for SPD support: he insists that the care reform must recognize care as a responsibility of the entire society. Consequently, he expects private insurers to contribute their fair share. He is waiting for concrete proposals from the Ministry of Health, but the CDU has so far rejected compensation payments from private care insurance.
A critical meeting between the Union and the SPD is scheduled for Monday. If Linnemann fails to present measures detailing how private insurers will share the cost by that time, the SPD intends to exercise its veto to prevent the care reform from proceeding to the cabinet on Wednesday.
