Dispute over care reform: SPD parliamentary group leader Miersch threatens to stop

The next dispute is looming over the care reform: the SPD will not take part in “a pure cuts package,” says parliamentary group leader Miersch. And criticism is also growing in the CDU.

Berlin. SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch is threatening to stop Federal Health Minister Carsten Linnemann's (CDU) plans for nursing care reform. “The current proposal from the Ministry of Health is primarily a package of cuts,” Miersch told the “Bild” newspaper. “The SPD parliamentary group will not go along with a pure cuts package.”

Miersch therefore rejects the idea that Linnemann wants to save money on nursing care insurance and then push for a second reform with system changes next year. He is already calling for “structural reforms that combine savings and additional income”.

From circles in the SPD parliamentary group it was said on Saturday that, unlike previously planned, Linnemann's reform plans could probably not come to the federal cabinet this Wednesday. The Federal Ministry of Health did not want to comment on this when asked by Handelsblatt.

Linnemann's reform project is also viewed more critically in the Union. Among the CDU prime ministers, the willingness to impose further burdens on citizens is generally decreasing.

The nursing care funds, on the other hand, warn not to block the announced nursing care reform. “Not acting would be fatal,” said the head of the National Association of Health Insurance Funds, Oliver Blatt, to the German Press Agency. “The care reform must now come to the German Bundestag.” The Federal Government Commissioner for Nursing, Katrin Staffler (CSU), made a similar statement.

Blatt said: “There is a red alert in nursing.” It has long been known that care will accumulate a deficit of 4.4 billion euros by the end of the year. “In just a few months the money will simply run out.” His appeal is “currently aimed particularly at the SPD,” said Blatt.

The SPD is currently receiving support from the Verdi union. “The SPD is taking up the massive criticism of the planned care reform, which we very much welcome,” said Verdi board member Sylvia Bühler to the dpa. Reforms are needed that do not further burden people.

Germany's top consumer advocate, Ramona Pop, also called for further consultation by the coalition on reform. The federal government's previous plans did not strengthen nursing care, but rather weakened it.

“Cutting services, passing costs on to those in need of care and relatives and delaying key promises from the coalition agreement, such as limiting personal contributions for nursing home residents, are the wrong approach,” said the board member of the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations (VZBV) to the “Rheinische Post”.