The German Association of Elderly and Disabled Care (VDAB) has delivered a sharp critique of the preliminary findings released Monday evening by the federal-state working group tasked with shaping the “Future Care Pact”. Thomas Knieling, CEO of the VDAB, representing over 1,800 member companies in both ambulatory and stationary elderly and disability care, voiced concerns that the proposed measures lack the dynamism needed to address the sector’s core future challenges.
Knieling, speaking to Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers, expressed skepticism regarding the adjustments to care insurance, noting that while adjustments to contribution levels could potentially mitigate out-of-pocket expenses for recipients, they risk exacerbating the existing funding crisis within the care insurance system. The planned “base-peak exchange” model, intended to redistribute funding, was deemed insufficient.
The working group’s exploration of overarching budgets and performance bundling appears to be at a nascent stage. VDAB is demanding much clearer articulation regarding the integration of such models into the existing care insurance structure, arguing that vague proposals offer no tangible solutions.
Furthermore, the association is calling for significant revisions to better address the needs of care facility operators. The current approach reportedly overlooks the critical operational realities faced by providers. VDAB insists that care facilities require greater entrepreneurial freedom and flexibility in service offerings, reduced administrative burdens and assurances regarding the economic viability of care businesses. Knieling emphasized that reform efforts are ultimately futile if they fail to ensure the continued availability of essential care services at the local level. The current prioritization, he argues, risks undermining the very infrastructure it seeks to improve.