According to the Health Minister, the increase is many times higher than expected. For the first time, two generations are dependent on care at the same time: “the baby boomers and their parents.”
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has expressed alarm at the increase in the number of people in need of care. “For demographic reasons, only an increase of around 50,000 people would have been expected in 2023. But the increase is actually over 360,000,” the SPD politician told the editorial network Germany. “We don’t yet understand exactly why this is the case.” Lauterbach spoke of an “acute problem in nursing care insurance.”
Lauterbach believes that the “explosive” increase is due to a “sandwich effect”. “In addition to the very old people in need of care, there are the first baby boomers who are now also in need of care,” said the minister. For the first time, there are two generations that are dependent on care at the same time: “The baby boomers and their parents.”
Lauterbach made it clear that the level of care services cannot be maintained with the current contribution system alone. However, a comprehensive financial reform in care will probably not be possible in this legislative period, he said. An inter-ministerial working group will also “hardly come to a uniform recommendation”. “The views of the various ministries and coalition partners are too different for that.” However, the group’s work is a good basis for a major care reform in the next legislative period. “But then it has to happen.”
Source: Stern
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