The personal contributions to be paid by the residents of nursing homes rose at an above-average rate in the north-east in 2022. "Whereas the national average increased by a good 13 percent, it was even 27 percent in the north-east," said the Association of Substitute Health Insurance Funds Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (vdek) on Thursday in Schwerin. Anyone who lives in a nursing home for less than twelve months now has to pay an average of 2106 euros per month - 446 euros more than in the previous year.

Thanks to the performance surcharges, the increase is said to be smaller with increasing length of stay. Those who live in the home for more than three years only pay 1375 euros per month, an increase of around 190 euros over the past year.

The head of the health insurance association, Kirsten Jüttner, sees higher wages as the main reason for the higher costs: "The main reason for the undoubtedly extreme development was the increase in the area of ​​​​payment for nursing staff", which in turn can be attributed to the Federal Collective Bargaining Act. A development that Jüttner welcomes in principle, too low salaries have been paid in the north-east for too long.

However, so that care does not become a luxury good, a real care reform at federal level is necessary. "But the state also has a duty to provide noticeable relief for those affected," she said. According to her, one possibility would be to assume the investment costs, which amount to almost 350 euros a month.