„Insured people have the right to be well advised” – Gerd Kukla about Respite Care

Ordinary mortals often become desperate when reading wordings of a law. This also applies to respite care – a financial support of the German nursing care insurances for people who care for somebody at home. Gerd Kukla is speaker for services of the nursing care insurance in the Central Federal Association of the German Health Insurance Funds. He knows what is new about respite care and can give a piece of good advice.

03/01/2009

There are some news concerning
German respite care © SXC

REHACARE.de: Mister Kukla, wordings of a law are a tough nut to crack. Do you always understand what you are reading in laws?
Gerd Kukla: I do understand them in the most cases since I have been dealing with such topics for many years. If something is not clear I read further explanations which tell the aims of the laws.

REHACARE.de: When families cater for somebody in their home, they often do not have the energy anymore to deal with complicated texts. They need someone to tell them what they have to do – also in matters of respite care. Who can help them?
Kukla: The insured people should directly ask the nursing care insurances. They also have information brochures in which the laws are well explained.

REHACARE.de: Can you tell us briefly what respite care is?
Kukla: Respite care is meant to give carers at home the opportunity to take a time-out from care – for a holiday or when they are ill. This is to avoid them from being overchallenged and the care recipient from going to a care home.

REHACARE.de: After the German reform of the nursing care insurance in 2008 there have been some changes in respite care. What is new?
Kukla: First of all, the care time before taking respite care first was shortened from twelve to six month. By this way the ambulatory care is to be strengthened.

REHACARE.de: Another improvement?
Kukla: The yearly ceiling amount of the payment increased from 1,432 up to 1470 Euros.

REHACARE.de: This is not that much. Does it help the families anyhow?
Kukla: You have to consider that with the reform of nursing care in the last year some payments of the nursing care insurance were increased and new ones were introduced. Additionally, the amount for respite care will be enhanced up to 1550 Euros till the year 2012. Even if the higher claim on respite care does not seem to be a lot it can help in combination with other improvements. For one person it is not that much but at least as much as was possible.

REHACARE.de: And the third improvement is?
Kukla: There had been the question if near relatives also get the payment when doing respite care. Usually, they only get the regular allowance for care. However, extra costs like travel expenses or loss of wages are refunded. One exception from this rule is when relatives often do respite care several times in one year or over a period of more than four weeks.

REHACARE.de: The health insurances deal with the law quite different. How can I be sure to be getting the best possible advice?
Kukla: The nursing care insurances have to give advice to their clients. This can be done in the institutions of the insurances or at the client’s home. And there are contact pints for care in more and more towns.

REHACARE.de: In the contact points for care affected people can get advice in matters of care as well. Do you personally think that their questions will be answered and that their situation will improve?
Kukla: The contact points have a lot of advantages, because there is much different information combined – from the local authority to nursing care insurance and social assistance authorities. This is helpful for the affected people.

REHACARE.de: Are there some independent contact points where I can go when I do not get along with my health insurance?
Kukla: If you have problems with the insurance and need some more advice you can go to the Independent Patient Advisory Service in Germany (UPD).

The interview was conducted by Natascha Mörs.
REHACARE.de