Pflege-Streit: Pflegereform soll kommen

Bundesgesundheitsminister Carsten Linnemann's (CDU) planned nursing reform is nearing completion. The German government plans to discuss the draft legislation today. The cabinet will address aspects of the Ministry of Health's bill, which aims to reorganize the nursing insurance system. The Bundespresseamt confirmed this at 10:10 AM in Berlin.

The exact scope of the agreement between the Union and SPD in their long negotiations was initially unclear. Linnemann, who delayed, intended to bring his draft to the cabinet on Wednesday. The SPD had threatened a blockade against "a pure cut package." The negotiations continued until early Wednesday morning, and Linnemann joined the cabinet session slightly late.

The primary goal is to prevent increasing contributions, currently at 3.6 percent for the general population and 4.2 percent for childless individuals. Both sides engaged in lengthy negotiations over a potential compromise. Despite immense pressure, the coalition did not exclude a cabinet discussion, as crucial negotiation progress had been made.

The plans, based on Linnemann's predecessor Nina Warken's (CDU) draft, include extending subsidies for nursing home residents over time to cushion rising out-of-pocket costs. Warken also proposed stricter classification of care levels and limiting free joint insurance for spouses. The SPD emphasized "fair distribution" and stressed the need for "fair financial responsibility," primarily through contributions from private insurers.

They sought a "financial balance" between private and social nursing insurance and a limit on rising out-of-pocket expenses for nursing care. Linnemann urged Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) to release more than five billion euros of Corona aid back into the nursing insurance system.