Overview

• Media reports say the government is reviewing abolition of Pflegegrad 1 to stabilize long-term care insurance, with coalition figures confirming the option is under discussion.
• Roughly 863,000 people classified in Pflegegrad 1 at the end of 2024 receive €131 monthly relief and subsidies for home modifications and emergency alarms that would be affected by a removal.
• The RWI estimates annual savings of about €1.8 billion from scrapping the grade, covering most of the roughly €2 billion shortfall projected for 2026 in the care insurance fund.
• The Health Ministry points to the Bund–Länder reform commission, which is examining financing and care grade design and plans to deliver initial findings by mid-October.
• Health Minister Nina Warken also confronts a reported €4 billion gap in statutory health insurance as CDU deputy Sepp Müller urges that all cost-cutting instruments be seriously assessed.