Katrin Staffler, the Federal Government’s nursing care commissioner from the CSU, said that the rising out‑of‑pocket share for long‑term care residents puts a responsibility on both the federal states and on Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil from the SPD. “The out‑of‑pocket contributions in full‑time nursing care are increasing – that can’t continue like this” she told “Stern”.
She warned that many people who need care can’t afford it alone. “On the one hand the states must find ways to absorb far more of the investment costs. On the other hand the federal finance minister has a duty to explore options, such as covering training costs for nursing professionals with tax money”. Staffler said that spreading the burden of these contributions more broadly would be fair and socially responsible.
The backdrop is a recent analysis from the Association of Supplementary Health Insurance Funds, covering data up to 1 January. According to the report, the average resident in a nursing facility across the country paid €3,245 out of pocket each month in the first year of admission. That figure was €137 more per month than it was on 1 July 2025 and €261 higher than at the beginning of last year.