Nursing insurance crisis: SVLFG requests rescue from the fund!
Nursing insurance crisis: SVLFG requests rescue from the fund!
The financial situation of the long -term care insurance companies in Germany reaches a critical point after social security for agriculture, forestry and horticulture (SVLFG) had to apply to state support from the compensation fund as the first cash register. This happened in early March 2025 and was confirmed by the Federal Office for Social Security (BAS). The SVLFG has around 490,000 members, many of them older, which drives the nursing costs. In recent years, the number of people in need of care has more than doubled - from 2.34 million in 2009 to 5.2 million in 2023. This development forces the health insurers to deal intensively with their financial resources.
The compensation fund, which was filled with seven billion euros in 2023, should actually serve as a safety net for all long -term care insurance companies. But by the end of 2024 this amount fell to less than one billion euros. The SVLFG received a discount payment in February 2025 to cover its ongoing obligations by December 2025. Nevertheless, Andreas Menzel from the BKK industry association warns of a possible domino effect situation that could pull further health insurers into the abyss.
The pressure on the long -term care funds increases
The reforms in the care sector, especially the changeover of care levels to care levels in 2017, have led to a dramatic increase in the number of nursing cases. Experts are concerned that the financial burden of rising nursing costs caused by regular tariff increases and the minimum wage for nursing staff that could endanger the financial stability of the health insurers. For example, the DAK predicts a minus of 1.54 to 2 billion euros for the coming years.
In addition, the long -term care funds will only have to hold 40 % of their monthly expenditure as a reserve from January 2024. This hits smaller coffers like the SVLFG particularly hard. At the same time, the statutory health insurance companies have a deficit of 6.2 billion euros for 2024, which could falter the entire financial structure of social security.
perspectives and possible reforms
The pressure on the federal government increases to develop sustainable reforms for long -term care insurance. Health experts are calling for a fundamental review of the distribution of funds and an increase in the contribution rate. As of January 1, 2025, the contribution to long -term care insurance increases by 0.2 percentage points, but this could not be sufficient to solve the upcoming problems. Rather, experts fear that further increases will be necessary.
In view of the dramatic financial situation of the long -term care insurance funds, insured persons must also expect changes in the provision of services. Experts warn that health insurers could possibly try to postpone services or to postpone invoices to a later date. This could bring both people in need of care and home operators in existential hardship. As long as there is no cash register, the insured do not have to worry about their insurance cover for the time being. However, in the event of a insolvency of your cash register, you should actively search for a change in order not to be forced.In the political discussion, a health summit is also required to develop solutions for the serious financial problems in the care sector. The uncertainty and pressure on long -term care insurance will probably continue to increase if no comprehensive structural reforms are implemented.
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