Corona-Crisis: How does the classification into the care degree work by telephone?

Good preparation brings success!

Due to the rising Corona infections, new contact restrictions were decided at the beginning of November. The increased risk also shows effects on the personal home visits for classification or upgrading to a possible care degree by the medical service of the health insurance (MDK). As in spring, the assessments will now take place by telephone until probably 31 March 2021, with a few exceptions. Preparation for this appointment is extremely important and can have a positive effect on the subsequent assessment.

How does the telephone assessment work?

First, the person affected/the authorised representative submits an application to the long-term care insurance fund, as is also the case with the on-site assessment. The insurance company commissions the MDK/MEDICPROOF to carry out an assessment. Subsequently, the insured person and the caregiver receive an appointment from the MDK. On the day of the announced appointment, the assessor conducts a structured telephone interview with the person in need of care and their relatives. For this purpose, the insured person receives a questionnaire in advance. This questionnaire is intended to support and help the insured person to prepare for the assessment situation. The classification into the degree of care is then made on the basis of the information already available (e.g. doctor's certificates, medication plans) as well as the information from the telephone interview.

Example of a questionnaire from the MDK.

Who should participate in the telephone interview?

In the best case, the person in need of care should not conduct the telephone interview alone, if possible. Carers and/or relatives can often describe the existing limitations of the person in need of care more precisely and comprehensively. This applies in particular to people with mental disabilities. If you as the accompanying person do not have time at the given appointment, you have the possibility to postpone it.

How can you prepare for a telephone assessment?

During the assessment of a care degree, the degree of independence is to be found out:

• We recommend submitting the application for a care degree as soon as possible.
• Thorough preparation is advantageous for both the personal and the telephone assessment.
• Furthermore, it helps to collect important documents, such as medical records, diagnoses and doctors' letters, and to present them to the assessor.
• It is also important to think about the questionnaire sent to you by the MDK/MEDICPROOF!
• The online care degree calculator is also a good way to prepare for the assessment and to see which topics are relevant and which areas of life will be assessed. In addition, you can take the result of the care degree calculator with you to the telephone assessment.
• You can find the care degree calculator under this link.

Have you already claimed the annual benefits of the long-term care insurance?

The year is coming to an end and thus some care benefits from the long-term care insurance are also coming to an end.

Preventive care

If you are a private carer or a relative caring for a person in need of care at home, you are entitled to substitute care in the event of illness, a break from care or holidays when you have taken over care at home. The long-term care insurance fund will cover the costs of up to 2418.00 euros. You can take advantage of daily or hourly preventive care.
Tip:Direct relatives can also claim an expense allowance and travel expenses from the long-term care insurance fund. This is even possible retroactively for 4 years.

Relief amount

125,- Euro/month and thus 1500,- Euro/year are available. Unused contributions for previous months can therefore also be used in the following months or in the following calendar half-year according to the savings book principle. The benefits from 2020 expire on 30.06.2021.

• Benefits for day or night care
• Short-term care benefits (e.g. for board and lodging)
• Preventive care
• Home help (cleaning, meals, shopping, driving, errands)
• Use of everyday companions (e.g.: accompaniment to doctor's appointments, joint visit to the cemetery)
• Use of care companions (they support caring relatives with their care)

Here you can find an overview of which benefits are valid until December 2020.

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