Specialized outpatient palliative care (SAPV)
Seriously ill people often want to spend their final time at home. Specialized outpatient palliative care (SAPV) makes this possible with a special team. It supplements the usual care and is a benefit of statutory health insurance.
Reach your next steps and the matching ready-made texts in just a few minutes, free of charge:
Create letter to authority →Your chances of getting your money back
What you should do now
- 1
1. Clarify the need
Talk with the treating doctor about the need for palliative care.
- 2
2. Obtain a prescription
Have the SAPV medically prescribed.
- 3
3. Bring in the team
The palliative team takes over care at home.
- 4
4. Act on refusal
You can file an objection against a refusal by the fund.
How to spot the scam
- Those affected are unaware of the entitlement to SAPV.
- No prescription is issued even though the need exists.
- A refusal is accepted without an objection.
Frequently asked questions
What is SAPV?
Specialized outpatient palliative care is a special form of care for seriously ill people at home or in a hospice, provided by a palliative team of doctors and nursing staff. It aims to relieve symptoms and enable a dignified life in familiar surroundings (§ 37b SGB V).
Who is entitled?
Insured persons with an incurable, progressive, and far-advanced illness with a limited life expectancy and a particularly complex care need. The doctor establishes the need and prescribes the SAPV.
What does SAPV cost?
As a benefit of statutory health insurance, SAPV is generally free of co-payment for insured persons. The health insurer bears the costs. If it refuses, you can file an objection; a medical justification of the need helps with this.
Take action now
We put together the ready-made texts and the right places to contact for you.
General information for self-help, not legal advice (RDG). In case of a high loss or uncertainty: contact a consumer advice center or a lawyer.