Concerns are being raised regarding the proposed funding model for Germany’s healthcare and long-term care insurance systems. Verena Bentele, President of the social welfare association VdK, has cautioned against what she describes as an insufficient approach, highlighting the potential for instability within the budget.
Bentele voiced her concerns to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, stating that relying on comparatively low-value loans instead of substantial, legally binding federal contributions creates the impression of a temporary, reactive solution. She emphasized the necessity of equitable and dependable federal funding for societal expenditures as a prerequisite for structural reforms. These reforms, she asserted, must not disproportionately impact insured individuals.
Beyond the immediate funding issue, Bentele also criticized the absence of planned initiatives, such as climate benefit payments or “social leasing” programs designed to promote socio-ecological transformation within the budget planning. She reiterated the need to reform Germany’s debt brake, even with the existence of a special fund, in order to facilitate long-term investments in the social state.