Health Minister on Austerity Plans: Linnemann Wants to Stop Pension Cuts for Family Caregivers
Those who care for relatives are set to receive lower pension benefits than before under the federal government's austerity plans. Now the new Health Minister Linnemann has announced his intention to correct this particular point.
New Health Minister Carsten Linnemann wants to change his predecessor Nina Warken's austerity plans on one point. The CDU politician told Bild am Sonntag that he does not want to cut pension benefits for family caregivers.
Warken, now Minister of State at the Federal Chancellery, had presented an initial draft with spending brakes and additional revenue measures in response to an expected multi-billion euro deficit in long-term care insurance. The aim is to avoid general contribution increases. Part of the savings plan included restrictions for family caregivers. Specifically, this concerned pension contributions that care insurance funds pay under certain conditions for people who care for relatives — currently up to 740 euros per month.
Warken's plan stipulates that 70 percent of the corresponding amounts would still be paid toward future pension entitlements. The ministry under Warken stated that limiting these payments was necessary to stabilize long-term care insurance. According to the draft, this measure is projected to yield savings of 1.8 billion euros in 2027.
Linnemann Praises Germany's "Everyday Heroes"
"I consider this signal to be wrong, and in fact wrong for our society as well," said Linnemann. In the Care Restructuring Act, he would "try to correct this point so that there are no cutbacks, but rather that pension points are retained."
Linnemann described people who care for others at home as "Germany's everyday heroes." There are around six million people in need of care in Germany, of whom more than three million are cared for at home. "These people must receive greater attention."
Health experts, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and the CSU had criticized the restrictions on family caregivers. Linnemann said he was also hearing criticism from the SPD. He will now discuss alternative financing within the coalition.
The umbrella association of statutory health insurers (GKV), the social welfare association SoVD, and the German Patient Protection Foundation welcomed the minister's announcement. Eugen Brysch, executive board member of the German Patient Protection Foundation, said the CDU politician apparently wanted to put an end to the "political wrong turn" taken by his predecessor and fellow party member Warken.
