CDU Vice and North Rhine-Westphalia Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann has called for a reform of the care financing system. In an interview with the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, Laumann emphasized the need to separate the financing of care services from other expenses, stating, “The principle must be restated that only care services are paid for from the health insurance, not for housing or food.”
Laumann expressed concerns that the increase in care contributions may not be sufficient to last until the end of the year, urging the future federal government to take immediate action. The CDU aims to ensure the financial stability of the social long-term care insurance and Laumann believes that the debate on high social insurance contributions should also address the issue of non-insurance-related costs not being solely borne by premium payers.
Laumann also proposed changes for care-giving family members, suggesting that different care services be bundled and their application simplified. He also advocated for the government to cover the costs of retirement contributions for care-giving family members from tax revenues, stating, “We need to tackle the so-called ‘non-insurance-related benefits’.”
Furthermore, Laumann called for the federal government to take a more significant financial role in funding the care training, rather than having the care recipients cover the costs. According to Laumann, the current average cost of care training per care recipient is €130.
It is worth noting that these proposals are not included in the CDU’s election program, but Laumann believes they should be discussed during the coalition negotiations. Additionally, he called for an end to the “culture of mistrust” in the care sector and the reduction of bureaucracy, stating that the documentation requirements only lead to a bad work environment for care workers. Laumann also criticized the 50 percent care staff quota, calling it an “outdated model” that has already been abolished in North Rhine-Westphalia.