Depending on their condition, the inhabitants of homes could have 4000 or 6000 crowns more per month than now. This should be adjusted by the forthcoming amendment on social services. Minister of Labor Jana Maláčová (ČSSD) wants to get more money into the facility, which is missing this year due to the coronavirus epidemic. Last year, since July, contributions have been raised for people who do not stay in institutions. The measure was to support home care.
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“We would like to increase the contribution for care in the third and fourth degree in residential facilities,” the minister said. She has previously written on the social network that “care must be evaluated fairly” and clients should have a home as well as those who have care at home. The head of the department added that she had already discussed the plan with governors and care providers.
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The two highest benefits for care for the elderly or people with disabilities, who cannot do without help and live at home, have been raised since July last year. It amounts to 12,800 and 19,200 crowns for adults and 13,900 and 19,200 crowns for children. In institutions, adult clients receive 8800 and 13,200 crowns, children 9900 and 13,200 crowns. Last year’s amendment was to support care in the natural environment. The ministry does not expect an increase in the two lower contributions. Adults should continue to receive 8800 and 4400 crowns, children 3300 and 6600 crowns.
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The number of people who cannot do without help is increasing with the aging of society. In June, labor offices paid 368,700 care allowances, 363,900 last year. In the first half of this year, the state spent 16.55 billion crowns on benefits and 13.69 billion last year. Expenditures rose by 21 percent year on year.
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The ministry has started considering the adjustment of contributions in seniors and other homes due to the coronavirus infection. He wants to secure more money for the facility. Due to the epidemic, homes had increased spending on protective equipment or overtime, as well as lost income due to the allocation of a tenth of beds for quarantine and the inability to accept new clients. The resort has previously calculated the amount at about 1.33 billion crowns and the Association of Social Service Providers (APSS) at about a billion. However, subsidies for which the government has already set aside 990 million crowns have to cover this.
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Social services have been struggling for a long time with a lack of money. Operators apply for co-financing every year and point out that without it, they will have to reduce care. The cabinet then sends them hundreds of millions of crowns after negotiations.
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The financing system and the network of social services are to be modified by the amendment being prepared. According to the original post-election legislative plan, the government was to receive it at the end of 2018. The deadline was postponed by one year. The ministry published the draft just before Christmas last year. At that time, the text of the amendment did not provide for an increase in the contribution to care in homes. However, the proposal provided that the government could increase the benefit in accordance with the increase in the minimum wage, other wages and living costs by its regulation.
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There has been no agreement on the form of the amendment in the coalition so far. Maláčová did not want to specify what the disputes concerned. The proposed changes were to be debated by the coalition leadership. “We have variants in some things. I think it is clear about the increase in care allowances, “the minister said.
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Municipalities and regions should provide care for their inhabitants. According to the original version of the amendment from last December, a guaranteed network of social services should be set up by the Ministry of Labor. The facility would send subsidies from it, to which it would be entitled. Regions and municipalities would have to contribute to the financing. The Office has not yet published a new version of the proposal.
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