Legislating for Care: A Comparative Analysis of Long-Term Care Insurance Laws in Japan and Germany
Social Science Japan Journal, Vol 6. No. 1, pp 39-56, 2003
18 Pages Posted: 29 Jan 2015
Date Written: April 1, 2003
Abstract
Populations throughout the developed world are dramatically ageing owing to rapid declines in fertility and mortality. Providing long-term care to the growing numbers of frail elderly people will be a vital public policy challenge in the decades ahead. Japan and Germany are among the few countries that have met this challenge by introducing comprehensive legislation directed at long-term care. This paper reviews the differences between these Long-term Care Insurance Laws, with a focus on the availability of a cash allowance for people receiving family-based care. It reflects on the social, political and economic context of the laws, characterizes each system and points out the inherent difficulties on each side.
Keywords: long-term care, care insurance, Japan, Germany, insurance legislation
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