The Federal Government’s Pflegebevollmächtigte (Commissioner for Long-Term Care), Katrin Staffler, has cautioned against simply increasing funding for the long-term care insurance system through contribution increases or tax subsidies without first implementing comprehensive reforms.
Speaking to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, Staffler emphasized the need for “bold structural reforms” warning that simply injecting more money into the system without addressing underlying issues is akin to “pouring water into a bottomless barrel”. She specifically called for a move away from the current rigid separation between stationary and ambulatory care models, advocating for a streamlined system of flexible performance pools.
“Without new, far-reaching care concepts, we will not be able to provide care for people in need in the way that aligns with their individual desires” she stated.
The initial session of the Federal-State Commission on Monday indicated a positive trajectory toward tackling the urgently needed, profound structural reforms. Staffler reiterated that the ultimate goal is to “ensure the care security of people in need of long-term care” and that this necessitates a rethinking of current approaches rather than a reliance on increased financial injections alone.