VdK advises quick applications for nursing care levels due to impending tightening measures

Long-term care insurance is groaning under more and more people in need of care, so the recently replaced Federal Health Minister Nina Warken has considered simply changing the definition of when someone is considered to be in need of care. The CDU politician has now moved to the Chancellery, and the plan for the severe cuts is also in place under her successor Carsten Linnemann.

In view of this impending tightening, the social association VdK is now calling for applications for recognition of a nursing degree to be submitted as quickly as possible. In the new year it could become more difficult to get a nursing degree recognized, warns the VdK. The number of people in need of care has risen sharply and is now over six million in Germany.

If you want to be on the safe side, you should apply for a nursing degree this year according to the VdK recommendation. In particular, the requirements for care levels one to three could be tightened, the association explained. There are a total of five different levels of care, depending on the severity of the need for care.

Be careful if you have an existing level of care

»The new law has not yet been passed and the old law applies. Those in need of care and their relatives must take advantage of this,” said VdK President Verena Bentele. However, it was only about initial applications, it was said. The association said that anyone who already has a nursing degree should only apply for an upgrade after careful consideration. Otherwise there would be a risk of the level of care being downgraded.

Many people would hesitate to apply for a nursing degree - out of shame, fear of complicated applications or the belief that they are not entitled to help. “An application for care is not a flaw, but rather an important prerequisite for being able to continue living in your own four walls,” she said. “As things stand, anyone who gets a nursing degree this year will keep it even if the access rules are tightened.”

In order to secure the financing of long-term care insurance, further approaches are being discussed. Recently, consideration was given to holding children of those affected more accountable. The current limit for the protective income of 100,000 euros is too high for many people. The possibility of keeping one's own assets safe from access by the nursing care insurance fund is also being put to political test.