Düsseldorf cuts aid for undocumented refugees: STAY! Medinetz warns of rejected patients and unpaid operations

Ahead of the budget deliberations in the Düsseldorf city council, pressure is mounting on the city's social services. This is particularly evident at STAY! Medinetz: Funding for medical assistance to people without health insurance and without secure residency status is set to decrease by around a third in 2026.

The Düsseldorf city council will discuss the 2026 budget on March 19. According to the initiative, only 160,000 euros are allocated for STAY! Medinetz in the draft – previously, it was 215,000 euros for emergency funds, staff, and overhead. STAY! warns that as a result, patients would have to be turned away and expensive procedures would no longer be affordable.

Who is specifically affected by the cuts in Düsseldorf

STAY! was founded in 2009 and advises refugees in Düsseldorf. People without health insurance also gain access to medical care through the initiative. In the early years, according to STAY!, this work was organized entirely on a voluntary basis.

In 2015, the city of Düsseldorf established a clearing office and an emergency fund for the initiative. Through the clearing office, affected individuals can anonymously initiate medical care without having to disclose their identity.

The emergency fund was used to pay for necessary treatments, medications, and operations when no other coverage was available.

The services are aimed at people who are effectively outside of regular care. STAY! describes that for people without papers, even the first step into a doctor's office or hospital can involve great risks – for example, out of concern that personal data might reach authorities. The legal framework for the transfer of data from public bodies to immigration authorities is regulated in § 87 of the Residence Act; in practice, according to initiatives, the mere uncertainty about this often leads to sick people seeking help too late. Especially in cases of acute illness or pregnancy, lack of coverage quickly becomes existential.

STAY! sees care and clearing office at risk

Most recently, according to STAY!, the city provided 120,000 euros for the emergency fund. Another 95,000 euros went to staff for the clearing office and overhead costs. In the 2026 budget, these funds are reduced to a total of 160,000 euros according to STAY! – a decrease of about a third.

The initiative expects immediate consequences for care: STAY! explains that in the future, more cases would have to be rejected because costs could no longer be covered – and that operations would also fail more often if clinics require written cost coverage.

As a current example, STAY! cites a patient with glaucoma who is at risk of going blind. According to the initiative, an operation is only possible if a cost coverage agreement is signed in advance.

From STAY!'s perspective, it is also unclear what will happen to the employees of the clearing office. The team criticizes that the cut came as a surprise and without warning.

Budget pressure shapes the political debate

The council of the state capital Düsseldorf decides on the municipal budget. The cut at STAY! is in the context of a tense financial situation: For the 2026 budget, the city cites a total volume of around 4.4 billion euros; the deficit is officially stated at around 390.4 million euros. The budget documents also note that reserves are being heavily used to cover the deficit.

At a joint press conference of the CDU and Greens on March 11, Mirja Cordes (Alliance 90/The Greens) said that cuts and discussions happen every year. In her view, organizations could have informed themselves in advance about the level of support to avoid surprises.

According to STAY!, this changes little about the situation: The initiative points to the concrete consequences for treatments, medications, and the work of the clearing office. At the same time, the CDU-Green coalition announced that the budget situation in 2027 could become even more difficult; further savings options are being examined.

The cut at STAY! Medinetz thus exemplifies the pressure to save in Düsseldorf's 2026 budget. Whether and how medical assistance for people without regular access to the health system can be stabilized now depends on the decisions of the city council and further budget developments.