11.01.2024 – 09:35
AOK Federal Association
Berlin (ots)
An analysis published today by the AOK Scientific Institute (WIdO) shows that the average care-related out-of-pocket costs that residents of nursing homes have to pay after deducting the benefit supplements have continued to rise in 2023. The WIdO’s forecast for further development makes it clear that the measures that have already been decided to improve performance are unlikely to sustainably slow down the trend towards ever higher financial burdens. The CEO of the AOK Federal Association, Dr. Carola Reimann:
“Limiting the increase in additional payments in nursing homes has been on the agenda since 2019. Nursing insurance is already making an important contribution with the subsidies staggered according to the length of residence and has spent a total of 3.9 billion euros in 2023 alone to relieve the burden on nursing home residents These means of nursing care insurance also help with nursing care and thus reduce the burden on taxpayers.
However, the current evaluations show that we need further effective and sustainable solutions to limit the increasing personal contributions and to provide financial relief for those affected. One measure that could be implemented quickly is to remove training costs from your own contributions. This would suddenly reduce the burden on those in need of care in homes by around one billion euros. And it is not at all understandable why the costs for this task for society as a whole are actually passed on to those in need of care instead of being financed through tax revenue. Therefore, this promise from the coalition agreement should finally be implemented despite the difficult financial conditions.
The states are also called upon to do their part to relieve the burden: the investment costs of nursing homes should no longer be burdened on those in need of care. Instead, they must be borne entirely by the states as part of public services. This would also provide effective relief for those affected.
Overall, we urgently need to financially strengthen nursing care insurance after the nursing care funds have already been stuck with the Corona costs. The cancellation of the federal subsidy for long-term care insurance up to and including 2027 was another wrong step that must be corrected. The federal government should finally relieve the nursing care insurance system – as promised in the coalition agreement – of the so-called non-insurance benefits. The rising costs must not be borne solely by those paying contributions and those in need of care. If federal and state politicians don’t take countermeasures, there will be a rude awakening by 2025 at the latest.”
Press contact:
Your contact person in the press office:
Dr. Kai Behrens
Phone: 030 / 34646-2309
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E-Mail: [email protected]
Original content from: AOK Federal Association, transmitted by news aktuell