Corona surcharge for rehab does not apply

The DRV Bund has prematurely discontinued the Corona surcharge

Berlin. The German Pension Insurance Association (DRV) has discontinued the corona surcharge in the area of ​​medical rehabilitation. The DRV – in its function as the cost bearer of medical rehabilitation – discontinues the surcharge prematurely and surprisingly announced this at short notice. The reason given by the DRV Bund is the lifting of the obligation to wear masks and tests in rehabilitation facilities by amending the Federal Government’s Ordinance on the Suspension of Protective Measures on March 1st. at. This eliminates the basis for the surcharge for outpatient and inpatient services.

Suspension of the surcharge without notice

The sponsors of the DRV have always made it clear that the surcharge is only paid on a case-by-case basis and for a limited period. From the point of view of the German Society for Medical Rehabilitation (DEGEMED), the unannounced discontinuation of the supplement is very problematic – only a few weeks after an announcement in January that it would continue to be paid until the beginning of April. DEGEMED Managing Director Christof Lawall: “Stopping the surcharge unannounced poses great challenges for the facilities. They had prepared to maintain the comprehensive hygiene and protection concepts until April. That won’t work anymore.”

Hygiene concepts are now being discontinued

In the past three years, the hygiene concepts in medical rehabilitation facilities caused by the pandemic have included, in addition to the obligation to wear masks and tests, organizational challenges such as a reduced number of people in therapy groups, an increased number of cleaning intervals, ventilation concepts, an additional expenditure on hygiene material, special dietary regulations and corona protection concepts in the food distribution.

The affected rehabilitation facilities have no reaction time due to the sudden suspension of the Corona surcharge and are now forced – due to the lack of funding – to discontinue the various measures to protect the patients and employees.
The sponsors of the DRV had paid surcharges to compensate for the additional expenses for protective measures in the facilities, with interruptions, since 2021, most recently 7.00 euros for inpatient services and 5.25 euros for outpatient services per day and only at the beginning of the year until April 7th. extended in 2023.

The circular The DRV Bund can be found on the DEGEMED Corona information page.

Those: German Society for Medical Rehabilitation eV