Care Level 1 Reform debates intensify as funding gaps widen
The current debate over Pflegegrad 1 has intensified as deficits in Germany’s long-term care insurance grow. CDU politicians argue for a careful re-evaluation of the care levels while SPD warns against knee-jerk cuts. In North Rhine-Westphalia, CDU Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann signaled openness to reform and aligned with federal Health Minister Nina Warken, who has floated the possibility of scrapping Pflegegrad 1 as part of a broader reform package. Laumann stressed that any change must be part of a thorough, honest assessment that acknowledges eight years since the new Pflegegrade were introduced. The aim, he said, is to strengthen ambulatory and home-based care and to ensure a future-proof care insurance system.
CDU openness and the Pflegegrad 1 question
Laumann’s comments indicate a willingness to rethink Pflegegrad 1. He noted that the concept of a preventive level did not curb the growth of care needs and may have inflated expectations that care benefits cover tasks beyond the core remit of the insurance system. The CDU line is to consider a reorientation that keeps care stable while pushing more care into outpatient and in-home settings.
SPD resistance to constant cuts
The SPD responds by resisting ongoing debates about benefit reductions. Deputy parliamentary leader Dagmar Schmidt underscored the party’s priority: a sustainable funding basis that guarantees care for those who need it. The SPD says a Bund-Länder working group is currently crafting proposals that must be carefully evaluated. The party insists that any reform should avoid perpetual cuts and should expand revenue, ensuring that all citizens contribute to a financially robust system.
Financial pressures and potential savings
Last year the care insurance deficit stood at 1.65 billion euros. The Bundesrechnungshof projects higher shortfalls in coming years, signaling a growing reform challenge that politicians cannot ignore. If Pflegegrad 1 were removed, about 860,000 people would be affected, with annual savings estimated around 1.8 billion euros. That potential impact explains why reform discussions are moving beyond slogans and into detailed policy options that could change who gets what and when.
Where the debate might lead
Proponents of Care Level 1 Reform argue for a balanced approach: maintain essential supports, strengthen preventive and community-based care, reform financing, and avoid abrupt reductions in benefits. Opponents warn that any reform must consider the real-world consequences for people who rely on care now, including families juggling caregiving responsibilities. The Bund-Länder working group will deliver a set of options, but the devil will be in the details: where additional funds will come from, who will bear the costs, and how quickly changes could take effect.
What to watch for next
In the coming months, observers should watch for concrete proposals from the working group, as well as potential coalition compromises. The CDU and SPD may differ on timing and methods, but both sides recognize that a sustainable long-term care framework needs more than a slogan; it requires real money, political will, and an approach that keeps the system resilient for the millions of Germans who depend on care now or in the future.
