Seit einigen Jahren werden verschiedene Optionen der Ausweitung des Versichertenkreises der Gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung diskutiert, in der zurzeit die abhängig Beschäftigten und lediglich einige Selbständige versichert sind. Primäres Ziel dieser Ausweitungsoptionen ist es, potentiell zu erwartende Altersarmut zu verhindern. Allerdings ist unklar, inwieweit die jeweils zu integrierenden Gruppen tatsächlich von Altersarmut bedroht sind, bzw. ob eine Pflichtversicherung in der Gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung diese verhindern kann. Ziel der Arbeit ist es, Antworten auf diese Fragen zu finden und die verschiedenen Ausweitungsoptionen im Hinblick auf die implizite Besteuerung in der Gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung zu analysieren sowie eine politische Handlungsempfehlung abzugeben.
Seit einigen Jahren werden verschiedene Optionen der Ausweitung des Versichertenkreises der Gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung diskutiert, in der zurzeit die abhängig Beschäftigten und lediglich einige Selbständige versichert sind. Primäres Ziel dieser Ausweitungsoptionen ist es, potentiell zu erwartende Altersarmut zu verhindern. Allerdings ist unklar, inwieweit die jeweils zu integrierenden Gruppen tatsächlich von Altersarmut bedroht sind, bzw. ob eine Pflichtversicherung in der Gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung diese verhindern kann. Ziel der Arbeit ist es, Antworten auf diese Fragen zu finden und die verschiedenen Ausweitungsoptionen im Hinblick auf die implizite Besteuerung in der Gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung zu analysieren sowie eine politische Handlungsempfehlung abzugeben.
Gibbs's detailed description of decision-making around teaching war in a school that taught the children of active-duty soldiers provides an important glimpse into the numerous factors influencing their curricular and pedagogical choices. Gibbs rightly argued that the limited perspective of patriotism that resulted from the teachers' reluctance to engage their students in a critical analysis of the justness of U.S. wars and foreign policy gives us concern for a robust, liberal democracy. The fear the teachers articulated in broaching the controversial aspects of war correspond to teachers' reluctance to tackle numerous other controversial topics such as race/racism, religion, politics, class, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Balancing the need teachers share to engage their students in the exploration of complex social issues with a desire to shield students from harmful or uncomfortable interactions involves complex decision-making and ethical judgments. It always involves taking risks by both teachers and students. I propose the jurisprudential framework as a practical guide in developing units around social issues and professional development based in developing collaborative communities of practice in order to create the support necessary for teachers and students to take these risks.
Just a few months after the federal elections in Germany, the so called pension package entered into force. It mainly contains three measures: higher pensions for mothers with children born before 1992 ("mother pension"), a reduced retirement age for persons who contributed to the pension system for at least 45 years ("pension with 63") and boost pensions of people who cannot work due to disability ("disability pensions augmentation"). In this paper, we derive the effects of these measures in a computable general equilibrium model on the contribution and replacement rates, as well as on employment, the capital stock and GDP. Furthermore, we analyse the welfare effects of these three measures. Our results indicate that the reforms induce a higher contribution rate, a lower replacement rate, as well as negative, but small employment, capital and GDP effects. Moreover, the strongest beneficiaries will be already retired persons, people between 50 and 65 years, who contributed to the pension system for at least 45 years, and people who will receive a disability pension in the future.
Das Gesetz über Leistungsverbesserungen in der Gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung ist am 1.7.2014 in Kraft getreten. Zu einer Reduktion der Altersarmut - wie die Aussagen im Bundestagswahlkampf 2013 vermuten ließen - trägt zumindest die abschlagsfreie Rente mit 63 nicht bei. Die Autoren aus dem Sachverständigenrat Wirtschaft bewerten die einzelnen Maßnahmen des Gesetzes differenziert und befürchten hohe Mehrausgaben, die die Zukunftsfähigkeit des Rentensystems gefährden. ; In the summer of 2014 Germany will witness the most substantial expansion of pension expenditures since the 1950s. Yet, while this reform package was motivated mainly by the dismal prospect of rising old age poverty rates, it does little to alleviate this problem. On the contrary, its two central elements, an expansion of the pension claims of mothers whose children were born before 1992, and access to early retirement at age 63 for workers with a long insurance history, tend to benefi t rather privileged groups of the insured. These measures endanger the sustainability of the German pension system and will necessitate future generations to work even longer than would have been the case otherwise.
There is an intensive debate about old-age poverty in Germany that has induced political parties to develop proposals for higher pensions of poor pensioners in light of the federal elections of September 2013. In addition, several proposals from economists aim at reforming the pension system in a way that mitigates oldage poverty. In this paper, we consider these proposals in a computable general equilibrium model in order to derive their effects on the income distribution, on employment, on the capital stock and on GDP. Our results indicate that negative employment, capital and GDP effects are induced by such reforms as compared to the alternative of basic means-tested social welfare in old-age. Moreover, the strongest beneficiaries would be the currently higher age employees with low income and much less the respective younger employees, while younger and higher age employees with high and medium incomes will lose.
There is an intensive debate about old-age poverty in Germany that has induced political parties to develop proposals for higher pensions of poor pensioners in light of the federal elections of September 2013. In addition, several proposals from economists aim at reforming the pension system in a way that mitigates old-age poverty. In this paper, we consider these proposals in a computable general equilibrium model in order to derive their effects on the income distribution, on employment, on the capital stock and on GDP. Our results indicate that negative employment, capital and GDP effects are induced by such reforms as compared to the alternative of basic means-tested social welfare in old-age. Moreover, the strongest beneficiaries would be the currently higher age employees with low in-come and much less the respective younger employees, while younger and higher age employees with high and medium incomes will lose.
Das Niveau der Rentenauszahlungen sinkt kontinuierlich. Die betriebliche und die geförderte Privatvorsorge reichen nicht aus, um die Versorgungslücke zu füllen. Experten warnen vor einer zunehmenden Armutsgefährdung im Alter. Nach Ansicht von Lars P. Feld, Anabell Kohlmeier und Christoph M. Schmidt, Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung, ist Altersarmut glücklicherweise heute kein gesellschaftlich relevantes Problem. Auch hätten die Reformen in der Rentenversicherung insgesamt dazu beigetragen, deren finanzielle Stabilität mit vergleichsweise moderaten Beitragssatzerhöhungen zumindest bis zum Jahr 2029 zu sichern. In den kommenden Jahren sei allerdings mit einem weiteren Anstieg der Grundsicherungsempfänger zu rechnen. Peter Hanau, Universität zu Köln, nennt die Bedingungen, damit eine betriebliche Altersversorgung zu einer tragenden Säule werden kann. Dirk Kiesewetter, Universität Würzburg, sieht in einer überbetrieblichen Altersvorsorge »die letzte Chance für eine marktwirtschaftliche Lösung«. Jochen Pimpertz, Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln, meint, dass die aktuelle Debatte am Kern des Problems vorbei ziele. Es lasse sich ursächlich nur auf dem Arbeitsmarkt lösen. Deshalb solle man sich vor allem auf Hilfe für die Personen mit einer dauerhaft unterbrochenen Erwerbsbiographie konzentrieren. Gleichwohl bestehe Nachsteuerungsbedarf in der Gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung. Auch wenn es wenig populär klinge, für die Rentenversicherung gelte die einfache Gleichung, dass die jüngeren Versicherten für einen gleichwertigen Rentenanspruch länger arbeiten müssen als die vorausgegangenen Kohorten. Martin Werding, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, sieht das Risiko einer wachsenden Altersarmut, das aber nicht dramatisiert werden sollte. Als finanzierbare Ansätze zur Vermeidung dieses Risikos sieht Werding zum einen die laufende Heraufsetzung der Regelaltersgrenze und zum anderen den Ausbau der betrieblichen oder privaten Altersvorsorge.
Most health care professionals are not adequately trained to address diet and nutrition-related issues with their patients, thus missing important opportunities to ameliorate chronic diseases and improve outcomes in acute illness. In this symposium, the speakers reviewed the status of nutrition education for health care professionals in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. Nutrition education is not required for educating and training physicians in many countries. Nutrition education for the spectrum of health care professionals is uncoordinated, which runs contrary to the current theme of interprofessional education. The central role of competencies in guiding medical education was emphasized and the urgent need to establish competencies in nutrition-related patient care was presented. The importance of additional strategies to improve nutrition education of health care professionals was highlighted. Public health legislation such as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act recognizes the role of nutrition, however, to capitalize on this increasing momentum, health care professionals must be trained to deliver needed services. Thus, there is a pressing need to garner support from stakeholders to achieve this goal. Promoting a research agenda that provides outcome-based evidence on individual and public health levels is needed to improve and sustain effective interprofessional nutrition education.
Summary for social mediaVitamin D is essential for good health, especially bone and muscle health. Many people have low blood levels of vitamin D, especially in winter or if confined indoors, because summer sunshine is the main source of vitamin D for most people. Government vitamin D intake recommendations for the general population are 400 IU (10 µg) per day for the UK7 and 600 IU (15 µg) per day for the USA (800 IU (20 µg) per day for >70 years) and the EU.9 Taking a daily supplement (400 IU /day (10 µg/day) in the UK) and eating foods that provide vitamin D is particularly important for those self-isolating with limited exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D intakes greater than the upper limit of 4000 IU (100 µg) per day may be harmful and should be avoided unless under personal medical/clinical advice by a qualified health professional.
The spread of novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, and the disease COVID-19 that is caused by SARS-CoV-2, continues apace. Saving lives and slowing the worldwide pandemic remain of utmost importance to everyone: the public, healthcare professionals, scientists, industry and governments. It is absolutely essential that advice given to the public is evidence-based, accurate and timely; anything less would mislead and has the potential to cause harm. Popular information channels, such as social media platforms, have been rife with misinformation that has been perpetuated by fear and uncertainty. This has been the case particularly for diet and lifestyle advice. There are recommendations for the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 from the WHO,1 the UK,2 Irish3 and USA4 governments and the European Commission,5 as well as public health and healthcare agencies, including key direction on self-isolation.6 This short original report aims to provide a balanced scientific view on vitamin D and SARS-CoV-2 virus/COVID-19 disease. It provides a succinct summary of the current scientific evidence of associations between vitamin D, influenza, upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and immune health. Importantly, the paper concludes with lifestyle strategies for avoiding vitamin D deficiency and ensuring a healthy balanced diet at any time, including during the current pandemic. The overarching messages are as follows: (1) Vitamin D is essential for good health. (2) Many people, particularly those living in northern latitudes (such as the UK, Ireland, Northern Europe, Canada and the northern parts of the USA, northern India and China), have poor vitamin D status, especially in winter or if confined indoors. (3) Low vitamin D status may be exacerbated during this COVID-19 crisis (eg, due to indoor living and hence reduced sun exposure), and anyone who is self-isolating with limited access to sunlight is advised to take a vitamin D supplement according to their government's recommendations for the general population (ie, 400IU/day for ...
