Overview

• Media reports say the government is considering abolishing Pflegegrad 1 to close a projected funding gap, with estimates of roughly €1.8 billion in yearly savings and about 860,000 people affected.
• SPD leaders publicly rule out reducing benefits, while CDU figures such as NRW health minister Karl‑Josef Laumann voice openness to reforming or redesigning the entry‑level grade.
• Health minister Nina Warken has not confirmed any abolition and says benefits will not be withdrawn overnight.
• Social groups including VdK, SoVD and the Deutsches Pflegehilfswerk warn of greater burdens on relatives and the loss of early support, and some economists caution that reclassification to higher grades could offset savings.
• The long‑term care insurance faces mounting costs and a shortfall projected near €2 billion for 2026, with total spending recently reported around €68 billion and further increases anticipated.