Germany debates Pflegeneuordnungsgesetz care insurance reform

The German Bundestag is debating the Pflegeneuordnungsgesetz (PNOG), a legislative proposal aimed at reorganizing long-term care insurance. Introduced by the Federal Ministry of Health, the reform seeks to address financial pressures on the system by making the assessment of care necessity more “targeted.”

A key component of the draft is the adjustment of point thresholds for care levels 1 through 3. This change means that the criteria for qualifying for specific levels of financial support will shift, potentially increasing the pressure on families during medical assessments. Because care allowances are tied directly to these levels, even minor discrepancies during home visits by the Medical Service can significantly impact the monthly benefits received by patients.

Beyond threshold adjustments, the reform proposes several new support mechanisms. These include a right to professional care guidance to assist families, a new social space budget to facilitate low-threshold help for those at care level 2 or higher, and an emergency bridging budget to ensure continuity of care if a primary caregiver becomes unexpectedly unavailable. Additionally, the government plans to introduce a digital “care cockpit” to provide a clearer overview of available services and bundle various outpatient care benefits into more transparent budgets.