The Federal Minister of Health promises a billion-dollar subsidy for long-term care insurance.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin A three-page working paper from his house reveals which major construction sites Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) wants to tackle this year in addition to the corona crisis. In addition to the care bonus and a reform of the hospital sector, Lauterbach is primarily concerned with the dramatic financial situation of statutory health and care insurance.
The latter will therefore need additional money in the coming days. In the paper, which is available to the Handelsblatt, it says: In order to be able to “guarantee the solvency of the long-term care insurance”, a federal subsidy of three billion euros is necessary by April 1st at the latest.
The reason for the planned subsidy is, among other things, higher expenses in the pandemic, which hit those in need of care and homes particularly hard. To absorb these costs, Lauterbach’s ministry is planning a subsidy of 1.2 billion euros for statutory long-term care insurance in April.
This is based on a draft bill that is available to the Handelsblatt. The subsidy is necessary to keep the contributions constant, they say. However, it is still unclear where the remaining 1.8 billion euros for the three billion euros mentioned by the ministry will come from. Lauterbach’s predecessor, the former Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU), had already decided on a regular subsidy of one billion euros per year last year.
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It is questionable whether the money is even sufficient. In a statement, the Central Association of Statutory Health Insurance (GKV-SV) even assumes an expected deficit of 3.6 billion euros this year.
“A significant increase in the general contribution rate would be necessary in the current year,” says the statement. The 1.2 billion euros are therefore only helpful as a “quick interim solution.” However, the money would only defuse the financial situation until August or September.
financial reform planned
Traffic light politicians refer to the coalition agreement for state aid. There, the SPD, Greens and FDP have agreed to finance the additional costs caused by the pandemic entirely from tax revenue.
The Greens parliamentary group deputy Maria Klein-Schmeink told the Handelsblatt that the government would “continue to monitor the financial situation in long-term care insurance very closely and have to react accordingly”. The “actual financial requirement” for care this year is significantly higher than the funds planned so far.
According to the Union’s health policy spokesman, Tino Sorge (CDU), the 1.2 billion euros for long-term financing would not create “any security”. “A fundamental financial reform of social long-term care insurance is urgently needed, and the government must not delay it any longer.”
>> Read more: Lauterbach announces higher health insurance contributions – unions are sharply critical
According to the working paper, Lauterbach’s ministry plans such a reform for the second half of this year. Among other things, the coalition agreement states that care contributions will be increased “moderately”, while at the same time there are other expenses, such as a care allowance for relatives that will increase from 2022.
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