German employers seek nurse care funding reform:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Dieter Hundt, president of the German employers' association, has demanded that the government implement a comprehensive reform of nursing care insurance, which is paid to the statutory health insurance funds. At present, employees pay 1.7% of their gross salary towards nursing care insurance, with the employer contributing an equal amount. Dr Hundt has called for fund members to be given more financial responsibility in order to stave off a possible rise in contribution rates. He further suggested that the amount paid for care should be reduced for non-severe cases. This would make an extra E4.5 billion ($4 billion) available for those who needed it most, he told the Berliner Zeitung.