Nursing care insurance in crisis: GKV boss demands personal responsibility!

Nursing care insurance in crisis: GKV boss demands personal responsibility!

Oliver Blatt, who has been CEO of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds since July 1, 2025, highlighted the urgent need for greater personal responsibility for insured persons in a recent interview with Deutschlandfunk. This opinion comes against the background of the tense financial situation of the nursing care insurance, which expects a loss of 166 million euros this year. The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds feels compelled to develop active suggestions and solutions to stabilize the financing of the care system.

Current challenges in long-term care insurance are causing intensive reflection on reforms. In his interview, Blatt said that a system based on solidarity-based financing also requires the insured to make their own provisions as indispensable. This is particularly important in order to overcome future financing challenges.

Start of reform work

In parallel to Blatt's statements, the federal-state working group on nursing care insurance reform began its work. This initiative aims to develop fundamental reform proposals that should be available by the end of the year. Blatt sees the rapid meeting of the working group as a positive signal for the millions of people in need of care who depend on a stable and sustainable solution.

The financial situation of long-term care insurance is alarming. In 2024, social long-term care insurance closed with a deficit of 1.54 billion euros, and an additional deficit of around 90 million euros is already reported for the first quarter of 2025. A loss of around 160 million euros is also forecast for the full year 2025, which underlines the urgency of reforms.

Financing questions and loans

In order to better cope with the current financial challenges, the nursing care insurance will take out a loan of 0.5 billion euros in 2025. This is not intended to be a permanent solution, as temporary support through debt-financed measures merely postpones the problem. A further loan of 1.5 billion euros is planned for 2026 to bridge the financing bottlenecks.

Blatt emphasizes that the goal is not just short-term solutions, but rather a long-term stabilization of long-term care insurance. The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds offers its support and expertise to develop sustainable solutions for future financing and emphasizes the technical expertise of the nursing care insurance providers in order to work together on a sustainable reform.

Overall, it is clear that both health care and long-term care insurance urgently need a reform process that combines the personal responsibility of the insured with a solid financial basis. This could be the key to averting a future crisis in the care system.

For further information please visit Deutschlandfunk and National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds.