The proportions to be paid for those in need of care in the home have continued to rise and, according to an evaluation, are only partially cushioned by new grants. In the first year in the home, a nationwide average of 2,200 euros per month was due out of pocket on July 1st – 67 euros more than on January 1st, according to an analysis by the Association of Substitute Health Insurance Funds. The surcharges introduced at the beginning of the year increase with longer stays at home and then dampen cost increases more strongly. Without subsidies, it would now be an average of 2248 euros for everyone as an additional payment, 69 euros more than on January 1st.
On the one hand, the sums include the personal contribution for pure care and support. Unlike health insurance, long-term care insurance only bears part of the costs. For residents of the home, there are additional costs for accommodation, food and also for investments in the facilities. Since the beginning of the year, in addition to the payments from the long-term care insurance fund, there has also been a relief surcharge that increases with the length of care. The personal contribution only for pure care is reduced by 5 percent in the first year in the home, by 25 percent in the second, by 45 percent in the third, and by 70 percent from the fourth year.
However, the personal contribution for pure care has now increased further – without a subsidy on average to 964 euros after 912 euros on January 1st. The surcharges slowed this rise. Together with the other co-payments, there were further cost increases from January 1st to July 1st – with graduated effects: In the second year in the home, the co-payments increased on average by 56 euros to 2007 euros, in the third year by 45 euros to 1814 euros, from the fourth year by 32 euros to 1573 euros. The background is higher wages, living and energy costs, as explained by the Association of Substitute Funds.
Association leader Ulrike Elsner told the German Press Agency that the relief in the personal contributions was only felt to a limited extent for those in need of care, especially in the first year. You will be marginalized by the increase in care fees. “With such high personal contributions, the need for care remains a risk of poverty.” A sustainable political solution to the problem as a whole is urgently needed. The federal states are also responsible for finally taking over the investment costs for care facilities. This would currently relieve those in need of care by an average of 469 euros per month.
Almost a third of those in need of care (30.2 percent) have been in a nursing home for less than a year, as can be seen from data for insured persons from the substitute funds from 2021. According to this, 19.2 percent have been in the home for one to two years, 14.1 percent for two to three years and 36.4 percent for more than three years.
There are also large regional differences in co-payments. According to the evaluation on July 1, places in homes were the most expensive in Baden-Württemberg, with an average of 2,619 euros per month. They cost the least in Saxony-Anhalt at 1700 euros. In Baden-Württemberg, the personal contribution was the highest for pure care with 1286 euros without subsidies. Home residents in North Rhine-Westphalia now had to pay the most for accommodation and meals nationwide, at 1,085 euros a month.
According to the information, remuneration agreements between the long-term care insurance funds and the homes in all federal states were evaluated for the analysis. The data relates to residents with care levels 2 to 5. (dpa)
