BERLIN, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- In Germany, the average duration of long-term care is expected to nearly double in the coming years, with costs per person projected to increase by approximately 50 percent, according to a report released Monday by Barmer, one of the country's largest health insurers.
The report noted that recently deceased individuals required an average of 3.9 years of care, but Barmer's findings suggest this figure will rise to 7.5 years for current care recipients.
"The introduction of a new long-term care concept in 2017 granted benefits to many individuals who had previously not qualified for long-term care insurance," explained Professor Heinz Rothgang from the University of Bremen, the study's author.
"This has resulted in a substantial increase in the duration of care and, consequently, a significant rise in costs," he said.
The report estimates that average costs per person will increase from 50,000 to 76,000 euros (52,880-80,380 U.S. dollars). These estimates do not account for inflation or potential further price increases.
Barmer Chief Executive Officer Christoph Straub urged the government to take action. "The federal government must not abandon the millions of people in need of care and their relatives and must finally provide financial relief," Straub said. (1 euro = 1.06 U.S. dollar)
