Overview
- The draft Pflegeneuordnungsgesetz (PNOG) had its first Bundestag reading on Thursday, November 5, where Health Minister Carsten Linnemann defended the plan and pledged to 'nachbessern' to prevent sudden losses of care rights.
- The bill would raise revenues and restructure benefits by adding a 0.3 percentage‑point childless surcharge, raising the contribution assessment ceiling by €300, limiting spousal free co‑coverage from 2028, converting the monthly Entlastungsbetrag into a non‑transferable Sozialraumbudget, and replacing the separate Verhinderungspflege entitlement with a smaller emergency bridging budget.
- Patient groups, welfare organisations and provider associations say the changes would cut support for home and family care, remove flexibility that lets households save unused months, and could force many ambulatory services and trusted live‑in helpers out of funding.
- Providers warn of immediate consequences: families are rushing to get assessment appointments to preserve current protections, some services are already planning staff reductions, and unions and providers predict large local and national job losses if the rules take effect on 1 January 2027.
- Next steps include expert hearings and negotiations before a planned December vote, with the government keeping the overall savings target while signalling transitional rules or amendments to blunt the most disruptive effects; the reform responds to demographic pressure and a forecasted near‑term €8 billion shortfall in the statutory care fund.