Nursing care insurance: Linnemann does not rule out reductions in benefits

Reform of the Linnemann nursing care fund does not rule out cuts in nursing care As of: October 29, 2026 • 10:27 a.m

Health Minister Linnemann believes cuts in long-term care insurance are possible. In view of rising costs, around ten percent would have to be saved. Patient advocates warn of the consequences for home care.

Federal Health Minister Carsten Linnemann (CDU) does not rule out cuts in nursing care insurance benefits. “We have to save around ten percent,” Linnemann told the Handelsblatt. He cannot guarantee that “there will be no reductions in benefits at one point or another.”

Nursing insurance has a structural financing problem, said Linnemann. The number of people in need of care has risen from two to more than six million within 20 years. Without reform, nursing care insurance would have faced a deficit of around eight billion euros in 2027.

As the future Minister of Health, Linnemann wants to continue the reform process of his predecessor. more

Linnemann announced that in the future the services would be tailored more closely to actual needs. “We have to provide more targeted help to those who really need it,” said the CDU politician. At the same time, he wants to ensure that those in need of care can be cared for at home for as long as possible.

Linnemann rejected mandatory private supplementary nursing care insurance. Instead, private provision should be given greater tax advantages in the future. Statutory nursing care insurance cannot cover all costs.

Linnemann is also critical of a limit on personal contributions in nursing homes called for by the SPD. A cost cap does not reduce the actual costs, but could encourage further cost increases.

Nursing reform is likely to be discussed at the Prime Minister's Conference today. more

The German Foundation for Patient Protection sharply criticized possible cuts. The cuts caused by the Care Reorganization Act would already bring the approximately five million people in need of care at home and their relatives "to the brink of collapse," said foundation board member Eugen Brysch to the Rheinische Post.

Politicians like to describe caring relatives as everyday heroes, but should not weaken them any further. If they can no longer provide care, hundreds of thousands of people would have to be cared for in homes. Brysch warned that there was already a lack of places and staff there.

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This week the care structure commission began its work on behalf of the federal government. The 13 members are supposed to develop proposals on how long-term care insurance can be financed in the long term.

It is also about how prevention can be strengthened so that people do not need care at all or only need it late. The proposals should be available by the end of January and then incorporated into a new law.

With information from Philipp Eckstein, ARD Capital Studio

This topic in the program: The First | daily news | Oct 29, 2026 | 04:36