Health Minister Nina Warken of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has staunchly defended the findings of a joint working group tasked with developing the groundwork for a comprehensive overhaul of Germany’s care system, dismissing widespread criticism of the initial output as shortsighted. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post” Warken insisted the group fulfilled its remit, emphasizing that its purpose was to provide a foundation for legislative action.
The minister acknowledged that while specific agreements were reached – including a focus on preventative measures to reduce future care needs and a review of the system used to assess eligibility for care levels – the debate has largely missed the broader context of the complexities involved. She stressed the need for coordination with the statutory health insurance financing commission and other bodies to create a unified reform package, warning that a piecemeal approach would be detrimental.
Responding to accusations of a lack of concrete financial planning, Warken suggested expectations for the working group’s outcomes were arguably unrealistic. She highlighted the inherent reluctance of federal, state and local authorities to publicly commit to cost-sharing proposals, particularly regarding capping the individual contribution towards care costs.
The issue of substantial loans, amounting to billions, secured to shore up the care insurance system also arose. Warken affirmed the federal government’s expectation that these loans must ultimately be repaid and incorporated into the financing of the care insurance system in the coming years. Emphasizing long-term sustainability, she asserted that the care insurance system should ultimately be financially independent of short-term interventions from the federal budget.
However, Warken signaled resistance to proposals to broaden the contribution of high-earners to help finance the reform, specifically opposing suggestions to raise the income threshold for care contributions from €5,500 to €8,000. Calling for avoidance of additional burdens, she stated a preference for alternative approaches while acknowledging the differing views within the governing coalition.
Warken committed to presenting a draft bill by the summer recess of 2026, with the ambitious target of implementing the planned care reform by January 1, 2027-a timeline she stressed necessitates expeditious progress and consensus-building. The political maneuvering surrounding the planned overhaul underscores the potential for significant disagreement and highlights the challenge of securing broad support for such a financially demanding and politically sensitive undertaking.