Prof. Dr. Heinz RothgangThe Second Act to Strengthen Long-Term Care (Zweites Pflegestärkungsgesetz - also known as PSG II) came into force on 1st January 2016 and provides among other things a new assessment and a new system of five care grades to replace the previous three care categories. Under the new legislation, moreover, people in need of long-term care will have equal access to benefits irrespective of whether they are affected by physical or mental disabilities.
The Advisory Board has been set up to provide scientific and practical expertise and advice during the preparatory phase and, from January 2017, when the legislation is implemented. Moreover, the Board will support the Federal Association of Statutory Heath Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband), the Medical Review Board of the Statutory Health Insurance Funds (MDS) and the federal associations of long-term care facilities in preparation for the transition to the new assessment procedure. Once introduced, it will monitor the new procedures for practicability and applicability and the counselling of care receivers and their relatives on how the changes will affect them.
The new Board will continue the work of the previous Advisory Board for Reviewing the Definition of the Need for Long-Term Care and the Advisory Board on the Specification of the new Definition of the Need for Long-term Care, of which Heinz Rothgang was also a member.
Further information: German Ministry of Health
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Heinz Rothgang
SOCIUM Research Center on Inequality and Social Policy
Mary-Somerville-Straße 3
28359 Bremen
Phone: +49 421 218-58557
E-Mail: rothgang@uni-bremen.de
