Andreas Storm
German politician
Photo: Office of the named member of the German Bundestag / Büro des/r genannten Abgeordneten, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
- Sep 30
German cabinet approves care reform raising childless contribution rate to 4.5%
Germany's federal cabinet has approved a package to stabilize long-term care insurance finances from 2027, increasing contributions for childless workers and high earners while establishing an expert commission for broader structural reforms.
- Jul 20
German sick leave dips slightly in first half of 2026 as mental illness becomes top cause, DAK data shows
Average sick days per worker fell to 9.6 from 9.9 a year earlier, but the government is pushing stricter rules for sick notes, sparking protests from doctors.
- May 26
Germany considers hiking long-term care insurance contributions for the childless to plug billion-euro deficit
Health Minister Nina Warken is exploring a 0.1-point increase in the surcharge for childless individuals, pushing their total contribution rate to 4.3 percent as the statutory long-term care insurance faces a deficit exceeding one billion euros this year.