Innovations in Care Services for the Year 2022

Innovations in Care Services for the Year 2022

The Bundestag has passed a new care reform. We have summarized the most important changes for you:

At a glance:

1. Benefits for care services and short-term care amounts are being increased

2. Budget for care aids reduced again

3. Grants for care costs in a nursing home

Some claims remain valid beyond death.

5. Conversion of care benefits in kind also possible without application

6. Transitional care in the hospital

7. Simplified Supply of Aids

8. More information on counseling options

Digital care applications

1. Benefits for care services and short-term care amounts are being increased

As of January 1, 2022, individuals in need of care from care level 2, who are cared for by a nursing service in their own homes, are to receive greater financial relief.

Care Benefits in Kind will therefore by 5 percent increased:

Care level 2: 724 euros instead of the previous 689 euros

Care Level 3: 1363 euros instead of the previous 1298 euros

Care Level 4: 1693 euros instead of the previous 1612 euros

Care Level 5: 2095 euros instead of the previous 1995 euros

Likewise, the short-term care amounts by 10 percent increased.

The benefits of short-term care will thus increase to 1612 euros per calendar year. to 1774 euros per calendar year.

However, the amount for respite care does not increase. The amount available for respite care under §39 can still be fully redirected for this purpose. Accordingly, the maximum amount available per calendar year for short-term care increases from 3,224 euros to 3,386 euros.

Important: People in need of care do not have to submit a separate application to receive the increase.

2. Budget for care aids reduced again

The budget for consumable care aids is from €60 per month back to €40 monthly.

The special regulation "FFP2 masks" can still be obtained via this budget.

3. Grants for care costs in a nursing home

To alleviate the financial burden, people in need of care living in fully inpatient facilities will receive, starting January 1, 2022, a Performance bonus.

The amount of subsidies depends on the period , in which full-time residential care services are received.

For residents with care levels 2-5, the performance surcharge for pure care is:

• 5% within the first year,
• 25% when you exceed 12 months,
• 45% when they are more than 24 months and
• 70% if they live in a nursing home for more than 36 months. 

Important: Partial months in care facilities are counted as full months. The performance supplement does not need to be applied for. Individuals in need of care with care level 1 are not entitled to the new subsidy.

Some claims now extend beyond death.

Previously, claims for reimbursement against the long-term care insurance for services and in-kind benefits expired with the death of the insured person in need of care. For example, respite care was utilized, but the bill is only submitted to the care fund after the death. Or the home renovation has already taken place, but the insured person dies before the bill could be submitted.

With the new regulation, it is ensured that claims for reimbursement remain valid after the death of the person in need of care and within twelve months can be claimed.

Important: The service must, of course, have been rendered before death.

5. Conversion of care benefits in kind also possible without application

A portion of the care benefits could previously be used for state-approved relief services upon application to the care insurance fund. Now they can ``` up to 40 percent can be used for relief services without a prior application of the unused care service amounts.

6. Transitional care in the hospital

Transitional care in the hospital can be utilized when necessary care is required immediately following a hospital stay, such as

• Services of home nursing care,
• Short-term care,
• medical rehabilitation or
• Care services according to SGB XI (such as respite care or day care) cannot be guaranteed or can only be guaranteed with significant effort.

Transitional care in the hospital includes the individually required medical treatment, provision of medicines, remedies, and aids, activation of the insured, basic and treatment care, discharge management, as well as accommodation and meals.

This service can only be provided in the hospital where the insured person has previously been treated and for a duration of a maximum of ten days per hospital treatment.

Important: Affected individuals should contact the social service in the hospital or the health insurance (responsible for transitional care) early on to clarify any open questions. This innovation is only valid from the day after the announcement. Details from the GKV-Spitzenverband still need to be arranged.

7. Simplified Supply of Aids

In the future, they are allowed to Nurses in the context of their service provision specific Recommendations for Assistive Devices and Care Supplies Thus, providing care for people in need becomes simpler, as you can directly attach an application for aids and care aids to this recommendation. The need and necessity are presumed, and a medical prescription is no longer required.

Important: The recommendation of the nursing professional may not be disregarded when submitting the application. not older than two weeks be. By the end of 2021, it will still be discussed which aids/care aids this simplification will apply to and what qualifications the caregivers must have. This innovation will only apply from the day following the announcement.

8. More information on counseling options

Up to now, a care consultation with a specific contact person only has to be offered within two weeks of receiving an application for a care level. In the future, more attention should be drawn to the fact that relatives can Entitled to nursing care advice during the entire care process. This applies, among other things, when applying for

• Care benefits in kind, care allowance, and combination benefits
• Care aids and home environment improvement measures
• Day and night care, short-term care, and full inpatient care
• short-term work prevention and care support money
• Care Courses and Digital Care Applications

Important: Care consultation can either be provided by the care insurance fund itself or conducted via a consultation voucher. In this case, the care insurance fund must specify consulting offices where the consultation can take place within two weeks.

Digital care applications

The so-called DiPA's are intended to help better manage everyday care. The focus is on organizational relief through digital support and handling care-specific situations.

For this, there is a fixed set. Budget of 50 euros per month available. It can be expected that the first applications will be available in the second half of 2022 or early 2023.

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