🩺 Wegweiser Chronically ill people

15 topic pages for people with a chronic physical illness – such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or chronic kidney disease – and for those who advise them. Each page first explains the topic briefly and clearly – and below that in detail, with deadlines, legal bases and figures.

How this page works. At the top you can search all topics by keyword. Each topic page begins with the section In brief in plain language. Below that you will find the most important deadlines, typical mistakes and a collapsible specialist section "In depth" for advisory work, with legal bases and figures.

This Wegweiser focuses on the entitlements that arise specifically from a permanent physical illness (co-payment exemption, disease management programmes, aids and appliances, home nursing care). For the detailed application for a severe disability card, degree of disability and all compensation for disadvantages, see the Wegweiser Disability; for mental illness, see the Wegweiser Depression and Burnout & Exhaustion. Where a statement could not be verified beyond doubt from official sources, this is expressly noted on the page concerned rather than guessed. The information does not replace medical or legal advice.

Frequently searched

💶 Co-payment exemption and burden limit (§ 62 SGB V) 📋 Disease management programmes (DMP) 🏠 Home nursing care (§ 37 SGB V) 🦽 Aids and appliances and therapies: prescription and cost coverage 🩺 Sick leave and sickness benefit in chronic illness 💰 Reduced earning capacity pension in chronic illness 🧾 Care level in chronic illness 📞 Advice and contact points

All topic areas

🧭Overview and basicsGetting started: which area of law is responsible for what in chronic illness.1 topic 💊Health insurance benefitsCo-payment exemption, home nursing care, aids and appliances, DMP, travel costs.5 topics 💼Work and working lifeSick leave, BEM, medical rehabilitation, reduced earning capacity pension.4 topics ♿Participation and careSevere disability card, degree of disability and care level in chronic illness.2 topics ⚖️Patient rights and everyday lifeSecond opinion, treatment contract, travel and insurance.2 topics 📞Advice and contact pointsWho helps with which concern.1 topic

🧭 Overview and basics

Getting started: which area of law is responsible for what in chronic illness.

🧭Rights and entitlements in chronic illness: an overviewChronic illnesses such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or chronic kidney disease trigger separate, mutually independent entitlements in different areas of law – here you will find an overview of which law is responsible for what.

💊 Health insurance benefits

Co-payment exemption, home nursing care, aids and appliances, DMP, travel costs.

💶Co-payment exemption and burden limit (§ 62 SGB V)The burden limit for co-payments is 2% of the household's annual gross income – 1% for those recognised as seriously chronically ill. Here is how to apply for the exemption. 🏠Home nursing care (§ 37 SGB V)If treatment or basic care at home is needed and nobody in the household can provide it, the health insurer pays for home nursing care – prescribed by a doctor and usually limited in time. 🦽Aids and appliances and therapies: prescription and cost coverageA wheelchair, blood glucose meter or compression stockings are aids and appliances (Hilfsmittel); physiotherapy, occupational therapy or speech therapy are therapies (Heilmittel) – both are prescribed by a doctor and paid for by the health insurer, often subject to a co-payment. 📋Disease management programmes (DMP)DMPs are structured treatment programmes for certain, individually defined chronic illnesses – they do not exist for every chronic illness and are not implemented equally quickly everywhere. 🚗Travel costs for treatment (§ 60 SGB V)The health insurer covers journeys to outpatient treatment only with prior approval – except with certain marks in the severe disability card, a high care level or particularly frequent treatment.

💼 Work and working life

Sick leave, BEM, medical rehabilitation, reduced earning capacity pension.

🩺Sick leave and sickness benefit in chronic illnessAfter six weeks of continued pay from your employer, the health insurer takes over with sickness benefit (Krankengeld) – for the same illness for a maximum of 78 weeks within three years. For mental illness in particular, see the Wegweiser Depression and Burnout & Exhaustion. 🤝Occupational integration management (BEM) in chronic illnessIf you were unable to work due to illness for more than six weeks within twelve months, your employer must offer you a BEM – participation is voluntary. 🏥Medical rehabilitation in chronic illness"Rehabilitation before pension and before care": medical rehabilitation is meant to reduce the consequences of a chronic illness before reduced earning capacity or need for care arises. 💰Reduced earning capacity pension in chronic illnessAnyone who, because of a chronic illness, can no longer work at least six or three hours a day is, under certain conditions, entitled to a reduced earning capacity pension (Erwerbsminderungsrente) – regardless of the degree of disability.

♿ Participation and care

Severe disability card, degree of disability and care level in chronic illness.

🪪Severe disability card and degree of disability (GdB) in chronic illnessA chronic physical illness can also establish a degree of disability. For the detailed application and all compensation for disadvantages, see the separate Wegweiser Disability – here is the starting point specifically for chronically ill people. 🧾Care level in chronic illnessNot every chronic illness leads to a care level – what matters is the degree of independence in everyday life, not the diagnosis. For the full procedure, see also the Wegweiser Disability.

⚖️ Patient rights and everyday life

Second opinion, treatment contract, travel and insurance.

⚖️Patient rights and second opinionSince the Patientenrechtegesetz (Patients' Rights Act), key rights in the treatment relationship are regulated in the BGB: information, consent, access to records – and, for certain planned procedures, a claim to an independent medical second opinion. ✈️Travel, insurance and everyday life with chronic illnessTravel health insurance, taking medicines with you and taking out new insurance raise their own questions in chronic illness – here is an overview of what applies and where there is uncertainty.

📞 Advice and contact points

Who helps with which concern.

📞Advice and contact pointsFrom patient advice through self-help groups to social advice: who is responsible for what if you are getting nowhere with a health insurer, the Versorgungsamt or the pension insurance?

For reference

📕Keyword indexAll terms from A to Z, with links to the matching topic pages. 📜Sources and methodWhere the information comes from and what is expressly uncertain. 🏠Other target groupsTo the overview of all Wegweiser portals.

A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.