Government plans care insurance as elderly population grows

ANKARA

(İHA Photo)

The government will roll out long-term care insurance and adapt the social security system to demographic shifts as the elderly population grows.

The Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) reported that citizens aged 65 and older surged 20.5 percent over five years to 9.58 million in 2025, forming 11.1 percent of the population. This figure was 7.95 million, or 9.5 percent, in 2020.

Within this demographic, 62.9 percent are ages 65 to 74, 27.9 percent are 75 to 84, and 7.8 percent are 85 and older. More than 8,000 residents are centenarians.

Authorities added long-term care insurance to the Medium-Term Program for 2027-2029 to ensure financial sustainability against declining fertility rates. Ministries will build infrastructure enhancing home and institutional support for individuals unable to perform daily activities.

Home health and palliative care will become continuous services integrated with telehealth, easing family burdens. The program mandates risk-based audits for reimbursements and value-based payments to optimize expenditures, expecting results in the first quarter.

Officials will widen the Health Market to cover more drugs and medical supplies, while restructuring university hospital management for efficiency in education, research and service.

To secure actuarial balance, regulations will encourage citizens to stay in the workforce longer. The government will adapt laws to flexible working models, bring uninsured groups into the system and improve premium debt collection.

Authorities will upgrade IT systems to expand data sharing and monitor financial indicators. The system faces pressure from an aging demographic. European nations utilize similar schemes to offset massive state care costs.