Advocacy Group Pushes for Increased Tax Allocations toward Health Services
In the realm of health and long-term care insurance, Germany's Federal Health Minister, Nina Warken (CDU), and the German Social Association (SoVD) have put forth their respective proposals to address the challenges posed by demographic change and past reform inertia.
Minister Warken has announced plans to stabilize the financial contributions for statutory health insurance (GKV) and long-term care insurance (SPV). This includes reimbursing the SPV for expenses related to protective measures and tests during the COVID-19 pandemic, amounting to five billion euros. The goal is to address non-insurance-related benefits (versicherungsfremde Leistungen) and ensure that the state, not the insurance system, covers these costs.
On the other hand, the SoVD has proposed further developing long-term care insurance into a full insurance as a solidarity insurance for long-term care. This suggestion aligns with Minister Warken's stance, both advocating for more public funds for health and long-term care insurance. However, the SoVD has not made a similar proposal for health insurance.
Regarding long-term care insurance for residential care, Minister Warken intends to stop the increase in co-payments, contrasting with the proposal by the SoVD to cap co-payments. The SoVD has also demanded a cap on co-payments for long-term care insurance until the development of a full insurance system is implemented, but they have not made a similar demand for health insurance.
Engelmeier, chair of the SoVD, has proposed structural changes for health insurance, including a genuine solidarity insurance that strengthens the financial base, improves performance, and makes it future-proof. She has also suggested that short-term financing of non-insurance-related services from public funds is necessary.
It's important to note that some digitalization projects, such as "Digitale Gesandte," are part of SoVD's initiatives, although specific reforms or tax subsidies for health and long-term care insurance are not detailed in the search results.
Furthermore, broader reforms aimed at simplifying regulations for small charitable organizations, including potential tax exemptions for donations, are underway, but these are not specifically linked to health or long-term care insurance.
For detailed information on specific reforms proposed by SoVD and Minister Warken, further direct sources or official announcements would be necessary.
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- As Minister Warken and the SoVD discuss changes in the health and long-term care insurance sector, Engelmeier, the chair of the SoVD, has also proposed structural changes for health insurance, aiming to create a genuine solidarity insurance that strengthens the financial base, improves performance, and makes it future-proof.
- Meanwhile, the SoVD has suggested that short-term financing of non-insurance-related services from public funds is necessary for health insurance, following a similar approach taken for long-term care insurance.
- In the broader context, digitalization projects like "Digitale Gesandte" are included in SoVD's initiatives, though they do not entail specific reforms or tax subsidies for health and long-term care insurance.
- Beyond these initiatives, there are ongoing reforms aimed at simplifying regulations for small charitable organizations, including potential tax exemptions for donations. However, these reforms are not specifically linked to health or long-term care insurance.