What can you use emergency services for?

The essentials in summary:

• The relief contribution is intended to fund offerings that ease the burden on family caregivers.
• You must collect the bills and send them to the nursing care insurer. We show how you can do this yourself or as someone else’s authorized representative in our sample letters.
• You can ask your care insurer which providers are approved.
• You can also use up to 40% of the in-kind assistance benefit amount for assistance benefits.
• You can save any unused values ​​and use them later.

What are the relief benefits?

Assistance and care offerings are additional support services for those in need of care and their families. Trained volunteers or professional caregivers take on various tasks for a few hours each month. This means that those who need care are well looked after and their families can recharge their batteries.

The relief amount can be used to:

• Offerings of daily life support from providers approved by state law, e.g., home-related services, group offerings, companionship or caregiving support,
• Day and night carealso the costs of accommodation, food and investment costs,
• Short-term care.

Offers of support in everyday life are often referred to as “low-threshold care offers”. They are particularly interesting for people with dementia, as skills can be maintained or improved through creative activities. Exercise and coordination groups may be a suitable option for people with physical disabilities. Or help with housework or exercise. Specifically, it could look like this:

• once a week help with household chores or shopping or
• once a week, visit a singing and crafts group at a welfare association or
• Participate in an exercise program once a week or
• Walk once a week with a volunteer or
• If necessary, follow-up with the doctor, authorities and concerts.

Under certain conditions, the relief amount may also be used for outpatient care services:

• People with care level 1 can co-finance all necessary services from one care service.
• At care levels 2 to 5, body-related care measures such as washing and dressing are excluded. These can only be financed with assistance in kind. The aid amount is only available for additional support, such as help with household chores and daily activities.

Who is entitled to relief benefits?

All people in need of care, who receive nursing care insurance benefits and live at home, are entitled to 125 euros per month in care benefits. It is important that the offer is recognized in accordance with current state legislation.

If the 125 euros per month is not enough, those in need of care may see part of their in-kind care benefits reallocated. In this way, up to 40 percent of the amount of care in kind, that is, the nursing or care service, can be used for care and relief services. This makes sense if they are not needed for care. An application to the nursing care insurance fund is required for relocation.

What should I consider when assuming the costs?

There is no need to file a separate application for the relief amount. Everyone has the right to care benefits as soon as the need for care is determined and care is provided at home.

However, you should note that the benefit will only be paid if you submit the relevant invoices. The call applies Cost reimbursement principle. The person in need of care must first select a suitable offer and pay out of pocket. Nursing care insurance will reimburse the amount once you submit the invoice. However, an important prerequisite is that the offer used is recognized in accordance with the respective state legislation.

Please use these sample letters:

Many providers may also bill the nursing care insurer directly if you submit an attribution statement. With this form you allow the service provider to exchange data with the nursing care insurer. In this case you do not need to pay in advance. Then get a regular overview of sent invoices so you can keep track of your existing budget.