Health insurance promotion for hospice services increased

Kassen: Over 1.2 million euros for hospice work

07/12/2014

In Brandenburg, the statutory health insurance companies have increased their funding for hospice work this year. Over 1.2 million euros were transferred to outpatient hospice services. About 1,000 citizens of Brandenburg devote themselves voluntarily to the difficult task of care for the terminally ill.

Increased funding for hospice work
The statutory health insurance in Brandenburg have increased their funding for hospice work this year, as it says in a message from the news agency. According to this, more than 1.2 million euros were transferred to 21 outpatient hospice services at the end of June 2014, said the joint venture of the health insurance associations on Friday. According to the Ersatzkassenverband VDEK, last year it had been 1.05 million euros. The legislature had already a few years ago, a funding of outpatient hospice services by health insurance enabled.

Dignified and self-determined life
The aim of the outpatient hospice work is to enable terminally ill people in their last phase of life a dignified and self-determined life. Around 1,000 Brandenburg residents devote themselves to this difficult task of providing voluntary care for those affected and their close relatives and friends. In outpatient hospice services, the volunteers are prepared, qualified and accompanied for this activity. They relieve and support many families.

Recognition and appreciation of the commitment
Daphne Bongardt, Country Representative for Berlin and Brandenburg of the BKK Landesverband Mitte, said: „With the support, the positive development of the hospice services in the state of Brandenburg is further advanced and it is also a recognition and appreciation of a difficult and sometimes self-sacrificing commitment of many volunteer Brandenburg citizens.“ According to a representative survey conducted by the Center for Quality in Nursing Care (ZQP) a few months ago, almost one in three respondents nationwide (27 percent) said they wanted to die in a hospice. According to those respondents who have already had experience of caring for or caring for a loved one in their own lives, 70 percent of them wish to die accompanied. (Ad)

Image: Anja Wichmann / edited: Gerd Altmann