Press Statement Care is not a luxury!

“Care is not a luxury, but an expression of humanity. It would be cynical toward those affected and their families to impose a one-year waiting period for sudden emergencies. Care cannot wait. 

We expect the Federal-State Working Group on Care to deliver sustainable, effective, and socially just solutions—and quickly, because we’ve long since passed the breaking point. The number of people in need of care and the associated costs are rising rapidly. The costs of nursing home care, in particular, are astronomically high. Copayments of up to 3,500 euros are unaffordable for most people.

If policymakers continue to drag their feet, the long-term care crisis will turn into a social catastrophe. We need an immediate cap on out-of-pocket costs for long-term care. Furthermore, long-term care insurance must be expanded into a comprehensive long-term care insurance system for all citizens. This means a system into which everyone contributes—including those who have previously been privately insured—and in which long-term care costs are fully covered by insurance.”