German Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) has defended her planned savings package, which includes higher financial burdens for nursing home residents. In an ntv show, she admitted imposing cuts on people and viewed the broad criticism as evidence of balance. The draft is set for the federal cabinet on April 29.
Nina Warken presented a draft savings package last week to relieve statutory health insurances by 19.6 billion euros in 2027. This exceeds the expected gap of 15 billion euros and aims to prevent increases in additional contributions. Measures include spending caps on practices, hospitals, and pharmaceuticals, as well as higher co-payments for medicines and restrictions on contribution-free co-insurance for spouses.
Within the nursing reform, subsidies for residents' co-payments in homes will grow more slowly, and recognition as care-needy or assignment to lower care levels will become harder. This is to reduce the number of recognized care-needy individuals and plug holes in nursing insurance, as reported by RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND) citing coalition circles.
In the ntv show 'Pinar Atalay', Warken said: »I am imposing something on people«. She viewed the broad criticism as a sign that the proposal »lies relatively well in the middle and affects everyone«. People know changes with cuts are necessary. On restricting skin cancer screening to risk groups, she said it was a focus, not abolition.
Criticism comes from opposition, associations, and coalition partners. The German Hospital Society called the plans »outrageous, unrealistic, and highly dangerous for care in Germany«. SPD, Greens, and Left criticized, and parts of the CDU deemed the proposals not viable.
