Wednesday, December 20, 2023, 9:40 a.m
Berlin – Whether benefits for those in need of care, digital prescriptions or breast cancer prevention: For the new year, numerous regulations relating to statutory health insurance (GKV) and social nursing care insurance (SPV) are changing. The Association of Replacement Funds e. V. (vdek) summarizes the most important innovations.
Higher levels of care
Those in need of care who are cared for at home will receive five percent more care allowance from January 2024. The nursing care funds also give five percent more money for outpatient benefits in kind, i.e. support through outpatient care and support services. The exact amounts depend on the respective level of care. For example, a person in need of care with care level three currently receives 545 euros in care allowance, from 2024 it will be 573 euros. The benefit amount for benefits in kind increases from 1,363 to 1,432 euros for care level three.
Those in need of care who are cared for as inpatients in homes are also relieved. The long-term care insurance pays a certain proportion of the care costs for this group. This proportion will increase from 2024, so that the personal contribution of those in need of care will decrease. The percentage values depend on how long a person has been in inpatient care. In the first twelve months, those in need of care currently receive a subsidy of five percent, from 2024 it will be 15 percent. The surcharge increases gradually as the length of stay in the home increases. From 36 months in the home, it will still be 70 percent of the care costs in 2023, and then 75 percent from 2024.
Digitalization: E-prescriptions are coming nationwide
From January 1, 2024, contract doctors (formerly called statutory health insurance doctors) must be able to issue so-called e-prescriptions everywhere in Germany. E-prescriptions replace the traditional pink slips with a digital solution. Insured persons can redeem e-prescriptions issued to them at a pharmacy of their choice by either showing their health card or their cell phone on which the “E-Prescription” app from the provider gematik is installed. This should make dealing with recipes easier and faster and use less paper. If desired, the QR code of the e-prescription can still be printed out.
Early breast cancer detection is being expanded
From July 1, 2024, women up to the age of 75 are entitled to mammography for the early detection of breast cancer. Previously, only insured people between the ages of 50 and 69 could receive such a screening every two years. Women aged 70 to 75, unlike the younger group, are not initially invited in writing to be examined. Instead, you must contact the so-called central office in your federal state. The Central offices are independent organizations tasked with managing invitations and appointments for mammography screenings. You check the requirements and then make an appointment in a screening unit. Insured persons can find the central office responsible for their region via the website mammo-programm.de/de/termin.
You can find out more about these and other innovations at vdek.com.
The Association of Replacement Funds e. V. (vdek) is the advocacy group and service provider for all six replacement insurance funds, which together insure more than 28 million people in Germany:
– Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), X: @TK_Presse
– BARMER, X: @BARMER_Presse
– DAK-Gesundheit, X: @DAKGesundheit
– KKH Commercial Health Insurance Fund, X: @KKH_Politics
– hkk – Handelskrankenkasse, X: @hkk_Presse
– HEK – Hanseatic Health Insurance Fund, X: @HEKonline
The Association of Replacement Funds e. V. (vdek) was founded on May 20, 1912 under the name “Association of Commercial Registered Relief Funds (Replacement Funds)” in Eisenach. Until 2009, the association operated under the name “Association of Employee Health Insurance Funds”. V.” (VdAK).
The headquarters of the association with more than 300 employees is the federal capital Berlin. In the individual federal states, 15 state representations in the state capitals with over 400 employees and more than 30 employees in the care bases ensure the regional presence of the replacement funds.