Laumann wants to strengthen home care in the upcoming nursing reform

North Rhine-Westphalia's health minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) is pushing for the upcoming nursing reform to strengthen home care. "For me, the most important thing in all of this is that we focus on home care", he told MDR. 85 percent of all nursing care recipients in Germany are not in...

, and Administrator

2025 December 21 . 9:57 PM

1 min read

In the center of the picture there is a couch, on the couch there are two women sitting holding... — In the center of the picture there is a couch, on the couch there are two women sitting holding babies. On the couch there are pillows also. In the background there is a wall painted white. On the left there are desk, books and houseplant.

Laumann wants to strengthen home care in the upcoming nursing reform

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has addressed concerns about Germany’s upcoming nursing care reforms. He stressed that changes to dependency levels will not apply to past cases. His comments also highlighted the importance of home-based care in the future system.

Lauterbach pointed out that most care recipients—85%—already receive support at home rather than in facilities. He described home care as the preferred choice for the majority of people. This approach, he argued, helps stabilise the sector while meeting individual needs.

The minister made clear that any adjustments to care dependency classifications would only affect new assessments. He aimed to reassure the public that existing benefits would remain unchanged.

The reforms will prioritise home-based solutions, reflecting current trends in care. Lauterbach’s statements confirm that past dependency ratings will stay untouched. The focus now shifts to how the new rules will support long-term stability in the system.