The head of the German statutory health insurer association, AOK, Carola Reimann, has voiced concerns regarding proposed reforms to the country’s long-term care system. In an interview with Tagesspiegel, Reimann expressed reservations about a combination of recommendations for mandatory supplemental insurance and potential cuts to existing care benefits.
She questioned the feasibility of a compulsory supplementary insurance model, emphasizing the necessity of accompanying social adjustments, which would likely require additional public funding through taxation. Reimann cautioned that the currently proposed insurance framework focuses narrowly on co-payments within care facilities, arguing that it would represent a limited impact on broader retirement security.
Furthermore, Reimann strongly opposed the proposed introduction of a waiting period within the social care insurance system, which would preclude individuals from receiving benefits during their first year of need. She argued that such a measure would undermine the fundamental promise of the insurance program, highlighting that a significant percentage – approximately 20% – of individuals granted a care level classification pass away within the first year, effectively contributing without ever receiving care support.