The Union faction within the German parliament is intensifying pressure on the federal-state working group tasked with reforming the long-term care insurance system, signaling potential roadblocks ahead of what officials are calling a critical overhaul. Simone Borchardt, the parliamentary group’s health policy spokesperson, cautioned that while the Union will participate constructively in upcoming deliberations, they will be closely scrutinizing the process to ensure concrete action follows promises.
Borchardt emphasized the necessity of a care structure that is demonstrably financially sustainable, perceived as equitable and reliably available. Her assessment of the interim recommendations highlighted them as “an important initial step” but stressed that the reform effort remains in its nascent stages, facing “immense challenges” spanning financial stabilization, relief for care recipients and ensuring consistent provision of services in rural areas.
A key concern for the Union is safeguarding the solidarity principle underpinning the care insurance system, whilst averting an undue burden on younger generations. Borchardt argued for a fundamental reimagining of care, moving beyond mere administration toward preventative measures, reducing bureaucratic processes and bolstering the capacity for in-home care provision.
However, the Union’s stance contrasts sharply with criticisms levied by the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB), a major humanitarian organization. ASB’s CEO, Uwe Martin Fichtmüller, slammed the government’s approach as overly cautious and reflective of a reluctance to embrace the full scope of its social responsibility. He framed care not as a manageable expense but as a fundamental societal promise – one that demands unwavering solidarity and rejecting cost-cutting measures disguised as sustainability.
Fichtmüller directly linked the precarious state of the care insurance system to a broader crisis within Germany’s social state, accusing policymakers of prioritizing perceived stability while shying away from the financial and structural reforms necessary for genuine long-term viability. Critically, he warned against allowing “sustainability” to become a euphemism for austerity.
He insisted that maintaining stable contribution rates demands an honest and robust financing strategy, advocating for increased funding through taxation rather than through the erosion of benefits. Fichtmüller also condemned the practice of allocating non-insurance related expenses through contribution funds and criticized the insufficient investment obligations of the Länder (federal states) regarding care provision. He cautioned against utilizing increasingly sophisticated language as a substitute for decisive political action, arguing that claims of “sustainability” and “efficiency” ring hollow without addressing underlying funding deficits.