Sachsen-Anhalt Social Minister Grimm-Benne warns of mounting health and nursing insurance burdens

Petra Grimm-Benne, the Social Minister of Saxony‑Anhalt, told the state parliament that upcoming federal reforms of the statutory health and nursing insurance systems will shift costs onto insured citizens, care‑dependents, the states and municipalities. She described the financial situation of both social‑insurance schemes as tense and said the current proposals do not distribute the burdens evenly. Grimm‑Benne criticised the financing of non‑insurance services, arguing that the federal government is withdrawing from its responsibility and passing costs onto contributors, providers and insurers, which could destabilise the system. She also expressed scepticism about planned restrictions in nursing care, warning that reduced benefits and stricter eligibility could place an unreasonable financial load on patients and families, and called for limits on co‑payments in inpatient care.