AOK-Chefin: Acht-Milliarden-Loch in Pflegeversicherung 2027

Düsseldorf – The AOK Bundesverband chief Carola Reimann has warned of a €8 billion deficit looming in Germany's statutory care insurance by 2027. In comparison to the €70 billion annual expenditure for social care insurance, this gap represents more than a tenth of the total spending. Reimann stated this alarming figure in an interview with the Funke media group, adding that the €3.2 billion loan provided by the federal government may not suffice for the year.

She emphasized that "the loan is unlikely to be sufficient by the end of the year." Reimann cautioned that "if these gaps are not promptly addressed, further contribution rate hikes will occur unless alternative measures are taken or additional funds are allocated from the federal budget." She proposed financial compensation between social and private care insurance and suggested financing societal responsibilities of the care insurance from tax revenues, including pension contributions for caregivers.

Reimann applauded the decision by Health Minister Carsten Linnemann (CDU) not to support cuts in pension contributions for caregivers. With around 5.7 million people in need of care, 86% receive assistance at home mostly from family members, reducing pension contributions for caregivers would be "the completely wrong approach." The red-green coalition is currently working on a reform of the care insurance system, which currently contributes only a portion of the costs, unlike health insurance.

A proposed law by the former Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) envisaged expenditure cuts and additional revenue to cover chronic billion-dollar gaps in the care insurance system and avoid general contribution increases. Warken also planned cuts in pension entitlements for caregivers, an idea Linnemann, the new Health Minister, aims to prevent.