Germany's health reforms face criticism over care insurance and emergency medicine changes

The House of Cancer Self‑Help – Federal Association (HKSH‑BV) warned that the draft Pflege‑Neuordnungsgesetz (PNOG) could impose additional financial burdens on patients, chronically ill persons and their caregivers. While the association supports stabilising the social long‑term care insurance, it opposes measures such as cutting pension contributions for caregivers, eliminating the relief amount for care level 1, and reshaping respite‑care, bridge‑budget, regional‑budget and care‑aid provisions. Chair Hedy Kerek‑Bodden said, “Care must not become a poverty trap – neither for the affected nor for their families.”

In a separate move, the federal government defended the removal of a distinct “emergency medicine” performance group from the Hospital Care Improvement Act (KHAG). It argued that emergency services are already reimbursed through the treating department and that no suitable specialty‑key exists for a separate group. The government maintains the change will not affect emergency care in rural areas, despite data showing that over 40 % of ambulance‑transported patients are admitted on the same day.