VdK warns care reform could burden family caregivers and increase out-of-pocket costs
VdK President Verena Bentele says the government's planned nursing care reform will make it harder for relatives providing care and could raise their personal expenses.
The Sozialverband VdK has called for changes to the federal nursing care reform, cautioning that the proposal will add pressure on relatives who provide care. VdK President Verena Bentele told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung that the government's approach makes accessing benefits more difficult and could lead to increased out-of-pocket spending for caregivers. She argued that families should receive simplification and stronger support, not be forced to care until exhaustion.
The reform plans to stabilise contributions to the Pflegeversicherung by consolidating various services into four distinct pools, a structure VdK believes will limit flexible assistance and push costs onto patients. Bentele also advocated for a single, universal care insurance funded by all citizens to ensure sufficient resources for long-term care.
Why it matters
The reform could raise costs and reduce support for millions of family caregivers in Germany.
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