Nursing reform This will change from January 2016

Significant changes in the nursing reform effective from January
With the agreed second part of the nursing reform, from the coming year, some fundamental changes will come into force, which should bring about significant improvements for those in need of care and for caregivers. "The second part of the nursing reform is not only a health policy milestone of the current year, but the largest transformation of nursing care since its launch," said the statement of the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) on the adopted innovations.

Many changes in the nursing reform will come into force as of January 1, 2016, according to TK. "Anyone who thinks that the impact of this century-old reform will only become apparent from 1 January 2017, when the new assessment system will work, is wrong," according to the health insurance company. According to the TK, the improvements will take effect at the beginning of the coming year, especially in the case of so-called replacement and short-term care, as well as in the demand for advice.

Many changes to the nursing reform will come into effect in January 2016. (Image: Syda Productions / fotolia.com)

Improvements in the field of replacement and short-term care
According to the TK, replacement and short-term care are "in demand, for example when relatives care for a family member and temporarily fail." In this case, "professional nurses, friends or relatives could represent themselves in the usual environment (replacement care)." In addition, there is the option of short-term care in a nursing home to avail. So far, in both cases, half of the care allowance has been paid for a maximum of 28 days. This will change from January 2016 and the long-term care for 56 days will continue to pay for the Nursing Care for a period of 42 days and the TK.

Increased flexibility
In addition, from the beginning of the year, short-term care may no longer be granted for just four weeks, but for eight weeks, reports the Techniker Krankenkasse. "Previously, this was only possible if the insured partially or completely transferred their budget for replacement care to short-term care," explains TK care expert Georg van Elst. The new regulation is already being implemented by TK today and short-term care is granted for up to eight weeks, since "in many individual cases the insured persons profit quite concretely." Restraints on particularly close relatives in the combination of claims for replacement and short-term care, which meant more flexibility for the insured.

Nursing with the right to advice
Furthermore, from next year, not only those in need of care themselves, but also caregivers have a legally binding claim to counseling. In the service catalog of long-term care insurance, strictly speaking, only advice for those in need of care was provided for, according to the TK statement. "In practice, however, it is very often the nurses who turn to us today. In this respect, we also expressly welcome this new regulation. It simply corresponds to the supply reality ", emphasizes the TK-Pfelgeexperte. The second part of the nursing reform is expected to be discussed by the Federal Council on 18 December.

Changes from the beginning of 2016
Which changes will be available to the insured in addition to the care reform from January 2016 has been summarized by the Techniker Krankenkasse on a special topic page. Here are also the changes in the hospice and palliative care, the changes in the additional contribution and the provisions of the pension strengthening law explained. (Fp)