Administrative services A-Z

- Forms: yes

- Online procedure possible: Many long-term care insurance companies offer an online procedure.

- Written form required: yes

- Personal appearance required: no

• To apply for short-term care via the health insurance navigator of the GKV-Spitzenverband

If your care is temporarily not possible at home, you can be admitted to a full inpatient care facility for a short time.

Short-term care is possible, for example

• if the person caring for you at home is ill, or
• your home needs to be adapted to home care by means of conversion measures.
• for a transitional period following inpatient hospital treatment of the person in need of care.

The nursing care insurance fund pays for up to 8 weeks of inpatient short-term care per calendar year.

The long-term care insurance fund pays for care-related expenses, including expenses for care, as well as expenses for medical treatment care services of up to EUR 1,612 per calendar year. This amount can be increased by up to EUR 1,612 from funds not yet used for substitute care to a total of EUR 3,224. (Status: 2021)

You can combine short-term care with substitute care funds that have not yet been claimed. In addition, the relief amount can also be used to finance the costs of room and board, for example. Substitute care takes place at home, while short-term care is not possible in your own home.

Short-term care is usually provided in a facility approved for this purpose. You can obtain an overview from your long-term care insurance fund. In addition, short-term care can also be provided in facilities that are not licensed to provide nursing care if your caregiver is taking advantage of a preventive or rehabilitation measure in this facility or in the vicinity.

During short-term care, you will continue to receive half of the care allowance previously paid. For the 1st and last day, the full care allowance will be paid.

• You cannot be cared for at home temporarily.
• You have care degree 2, 3, 4 or 5.
  • If you only have care level 1, you can apply for the relief amount.
    
    

• If applicable: power of attorney, guardian's card
• Notification from the nursing care insurance company about the degree of nursing care (expert opinion of the medical service of the nursing care insurance company)
• if applicable: medical documents
• If applicable: severely disabled person's ID card
• Proof of health and long-term care insurance

Depending on the care insurance company, further documents may be required. Please contact your nursing care insurance fund for more information.

You do not have to pay anything for the application.

The nursing care insurance fund pays for nursing services for short-term care. You pay for accommodation, meals and travel costs for short-term care yourself. If the relief contribution has not yet been used up, these own contributions can be reimbursed.

You can submit the application for short-term care by mail, for example, as well as - for many long-term care insurance funds - in person at the office or online.

• Submit the application for short-term care to your long-term care insurance fund. If you are unable to do so yourself, you can authorize someone in writing.
• The long-term care insurance fund will review your application and inform you of the result.
• Ask the nursing care insurance fund or a nursing care advice center about suitable facilities for short-term care and the costs.
• The nursing care insurance fund usually settles directly with the facility.
  
  

You do not have to observe any deadlines.

Responsibility lies with the respective care insurance fund.

• § Section 42 of the Eleventh Book of the Social Code (SGB XI)

• Information on short-term care on the website of the Federal Ministry of Health

Federal Ministry of Health