Finanzen: Regierung plant 700-Millionen-Finanzspritze für Pflegekassen

The German Finance Ministry intends to provide up to 700 million euros in loans to address anticipated financial gaps in the care insurance system. This information is derived from a letter from the ministry to the budget committee, which was obtained by the German Press Agency. The budget for this year already allocated 3.2 billion euros in federal loans for the care insurance system.

However, these funds are insufficient, as the expenditure costs of the care insurance societies are "increasing more than initially assumed due to the continued strong growth dynamics in the number of care-dependent persons," according to the letter. Over-budget expenditures The Health Ministry had even requested 870 million euros - the Finance Ministry, under Minister Lars Klingbeil, considered 700 million euros sufficient to cover the current estimated shortfall for November and to be prepared for potential shortages in October, which the Federal Social Insurance Office predicts.

The ministry asked the budget committee for permission to exceed the budget. Health Minister Carsten Linnemann (CDU) had previously indicated that a further short-term financial injection was being considered. His ministry and the finance department were reviewing this as of the previous week. "However, it seems that the money will not be enough.

Several hundred million will be missing. And that's why we need to go back into the budget." Deficit of 770 million euros The financial difficulties of the care insurance system had recently intensified. In the first half of the year, a deficit of 770 million euros was announced by the leading association of statutory health insurance companies, which represents the care insurance societies.

It was reported that by October, income would not be sufficient to fully finance care benefits. The black-red federal government had introduced the first part of a care reform package on Wednesday, aimed at stabilizing the financing of the care insurance system as a first step, said Health Minister Linnemann. A second, larger structural reform, to be implemented by next summer, is to be worked on by a commission.