Theoretically, each insured person is entitled by law to a cure. Experts say what requirements you must fulfill it. And: What to consider when applying
With a spa vacation has nothing to cure. “There must always have a medical background,” says Dr. Thomas Assmann. “The cure is to help improve their health, to support the recovery and to preserve or restore the work force,” the primary care internist is one of the Rhineland in Lindlar near Cologne. “For people who are no longer stuck in the labor process, a cure is to avoid having to go to the hospital, and ensure that they remain mobile and suffer less pain.”
The term “cure” is comprised of various preventive measures and disease treatments. The Social Code (SGB V), he is no longer used. There is of “medical care or rehabilitation services,” the speech. A distinction is made between outpatient and inpatient.
“Around 168 000 outpatients were compared according to statistics from the Federal Ministry of Health in 2009, about 21,000 inpatient medical benefits,” said Klaus Holetschek. He is chairman of the Bavarian health resort association and also the mayor of Bad Woerishofen.
In an outpatient treatment, patients can place and accommodation in consultation with their physician and the appropriate cost units – choose – statutory health insurance, pension or benefits office. Even the date for the arrival and the physician and the on-site facility, the patient can choose. The treatments take place either in a central spa treatment center, or directly in the chosen accommodation instead. From the North Rhine-Westphalia Bad Aachen to Zinnowitz in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany there are approximately 350 municipalities and parts that are suitable for the healthy air, water or special soil for a recognized medical treatment. The spectrum of the additional designations ranging from “spa” to “climatic health resort” of “resort” to “healing gallery”. It includes mineral water, mud, peloid, Thermal, Kneipp, Schroth, brine, and many other treatments.
The outpatient prevention cure in one of these places generally lasts three weeks, but may be extended for medical reasons and are usually repeated at least three years. It proposes the payers nationwide average of 530 € for medical treatment and medical care at Beech. An outpatient treatment is a “place of residence distant measure.”
The basic idea: The patient should even come out for an extended period of his life and change his lifestyle. He does it usually bears the cost of holidays and arrival and departure, accommodation and meals themselves “The funds thus set on the responsibility of the individual,” explains Klaus Holetschek. “As an incentive, however, some insurers pay grants of up to 13, for the chronically ill infants up to 21 € per day.”
Inpatient care services, however, the patient resides in a central spa facility, which is proposed by the insurers. “It is usually at sanatoriums and hospitals, which were negotiated special rates”, says Spas of the expert.
Except for an excess of ten euros per day, the competent institution takes over the costs. If the patient by the physician for the duration of treatment was on sick leave, the employer must pay for the entire period of continuous paid hospitalization.
Under Section 23 SGB V, insured persons are entitled to such benefits if the medical requirements are met. “The funds provide their members no longer partially correct about the fact that it cures even still exist,” complains Holetschek. “So it is worthwhile in any case, in the respective office to inquire.”
“The important thing for which approval has a history of typical course of disease,” says internist Assmann. “A patient with back pain should start times have been with an orthopedic surgeon and physical therapy have been prescribed.” Those who have complaints should not clench my teeth, but in time to go to the doctor in order later to enjoy a health care service.
The physician recognizes the need for a cure, he together with the patient fills out an application and submits it to the full reasons for the health insurance, pension insurance or the benefits office. This can verify the application by the Medical Services, a contract or the medical officer and subsequently approved the cure.
Or they dismissed him. “In recent years, accumulating rejections, apparently for reasons of economy,” suggested the president of the Bavarian Spas Association. The bill seems to be paying about two-thirds of patients and the treating physician does not create a contradiction. Holetschek regrets this, and it is only natural that his organization strongly makes for the rejected: “We are happy to help with the formalities. In the second approach, the medical care service is approved that is in most cases. “