Health & Care
Cancer insurance
financial help with cancer
Financial Assistance for Cancer: Your Guide to Support and Benefits
A cancer diagnosis presents immense challenges for those affected and their families, including financial ones. This article explains the financial aid available to you if you have cancer and how you can apply for it. Learn more about your rights and options.
The topic in brief and concise terms
Cancer patients are entitled to a variety of social benefits such as sickness benefit, household help, and disability pension, which must be applied for.
A disability ID card (from a degree of disability of 50) provides compensatory benefits such as special protection against dismissal and tax reductions.
The hardship fund of the German Cancer Aid offers one-time financial support in emergencies, which is subject to income limits.
Gaining an Overview: First Steps Towards Financial Relief
A cancer diagnosis often leads to loss of income and additional costs. Fortunately, in Germany, there is a system of social benefits that provides financial assistance for cancer. Health insurance companies, for example, cover costs for medicines, dressings, therapy, and aids. It is important to get information about your entitlements early on, as many benefits need to be applied for. The social service at the hospital or cancer counseling centers are the first points of contact for comprehensive advice. This initial guidance helps you plan your next steps.
Securing sick pay and continued salary payment: Your income during illness
If you become unable to work due to your cancer, your employer will generally continue to pay your full salary for up to six weeks. This period lasts for a maximum of 42 calendar days. After that, the statutory health insurance provides sick pay. Sick pay amounts to seventy percent of your regular gross income, but no more than ninety percent of your net income. You can receive sick pay for a maximum of 78 weeks within a block period of three years. A continuous medical certificate is crucial to avoid jeopardizing your entitlement to sick pay. For those privately insured, the sickness benefit regulations agreed upon in the respective contract apply. The cancer insurance can provide an important additional safeguard here. These benefits form an essential basis of your financial support during cancer and help cover ongoing costs.
Support in everyday life: Household help and travel costs
Cancer patients often have a right to household help if they are unable to manage their household due to illness. This is particularly applicable if there are children under twelve years old living in the household; in this case, support can be granted for up to 26 weeks. Without children in the household, entitlement lasts for up to four weeks. Statutory health insurance usually also covers the travel costs for chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but these need to be approved in advance. This usually requires a co-payment of ten percent, at least five euros and at most ten euros per trip. These practical aids significantly ease your daily life. Find out about the waiting times for cancer insurance to be optimally prepared. Such support is an important part of financial assistance for cancer.
Check long-term security: incapacity pension and severe disability
If you are permanently or partially unable to work due to cancer, you may be eligible for a disability pension. This can be granted as a full or partial pension, depending on your remaining ability to work in the general labour market. Applying for recognition of a severe disability is also an important step. From a degree of disability (GdB) of 50, you are considered severely disabled. A severely disabled person's pass, generally issued for five years, provides various compensatory benefits. These include, among others, special protection against dismissal, five extra days of holiday, and tax advantages. These regulations offer vital financial assistance for cancer patients and compensate for disadvantages. The best cancer insurance can complement this support.
Possible compensatory benefits provided by a severely disabled person's pass include:
Special protection against dismissal at the workplace
Entitlement to five additional days of holiday per year
Option for an earlier retirement start
Tax relief (disability allowances)
Discounts on public transport and facilities
Possibly exemption from broadcasting fees
These long-term security mechanisms are a cornerstone of financial assistance in cancer care.
Claiming care services: Support in case of care needs
If care dependency arises due to cancer, the long-term care insurance covers costs for care at home or in a facility. Since the Second Long-Term Care Strengthening Act, care needs are assessed based on five levels of care, evaluating independence. All individuals in need of care who are cared for at home receive a relief amount of up to 125 euros per month. This amount is earmarked for specific care and relief services. The services provided by the long-term care insurance are an important component of financial assistance for cancer.
The long-term care insurance offers various types of benefits:
Care allowance for self-arranged care assistance
Care benefits in kind for professional care services
Combination benefits of cash and in-kind benefits
Part-time day or night care
Full-time care in a nursing home
Grants for home adaptations
Care aids
A cancer insurance without health questions may be an option to secure yourself early. Proper planning and use of these benefits can significantly reduce financial burdens.
Organising Rehabilitation and Reintegration: Back to Everyday Life and Work
After acute treatment, cancer patients are entitled to rehabilitation measures. These usually last three weeks and aim to alleviate the physical and emotional consequences of the illness. The costs are typically covered by pension insurance providers or health insurance companies. For returning to work, the 'Hamburg Model' can facilitate a gradual reintegration. During this time, you remain on sick leave and usually receive sick pay or transitional benefits. The Company Integration Management (BEM) is another tool that employers must offer if an employee has been sick for more than six weeks. These measures are an important part of financial assistance for cancer, as they pave the way back into working life. Also, consider a specific cancer insurance. Careful planning of rehabilitation is crucial for long-term recovery.
Expert tips for your applications: What to watch out for
When applying for financial assistance due to cancer, it is important to proceed carefully. Our expert tip: Always submit applications in writing and keep copies. Make sure to get confirmation of receipt. For the German Cancer Aid hardship fund, for example, you need an application form and a medical certificate. Processing usually takes four to six weeks. When applying for disability, all health impairments should be listed, not just the cancer. Take advantage of advice services from social services, health insurers, or cancer counselling centres to avoid mistakes. Good preparation significantly eases the process of obtaining financial assistance for cancer.
Your next step: Personalised advice for your situation
The diagnosis of cancer and its associated financial aspects can be overwhelming. There are many different resources and benefits available to you as financial assistance for cancer. Personalised advice is often the best way to find and apply for the support suitable for your particular situation. Do not hesitate to seek support. At nextsure, we understand that every situation is unique. We help you keep track and assert your claims. Contact us for an individual risk analysis. Request a personalised risk analysis now: Have your insurance situation checked for free and receive concrete optimisation suggestions.
More useful links
The Deutsche Rentenversicherung provides comprehensive information on disability pensions, which can be relevant in cases of permanently reduced working capacity due to a cancer illness.
The VdK Deutschland offers detailed information on social law issues in the context of cancer and provides guidance on entitlements and assistance.
FAQ
What does the health insurance cover in the case of cancer?
The health insurance covers costs for medical treatment, medication, remedies (e.g., physiotherapy), aids (e.g., wigs, wheelchairs), hospital stays, travel expenses for certain therapies, household help under certain conditions, and sick pay after salary continuation ends.
Can I receive financial assistance from the state if I have cancer?
Yes, there is state financial aid available for cancer through social benefits such as sick pay, reduced earning capacity pension, care allowance, citizen's income (formerly unemployment benefit II/social assistance) in cases of need, housing benefit, and tax relief.
How do I apply for the hardship fund from the German Cancer Aid?
You must submit an application with personal data, income/expenditure (confirmed by an authority/public institution), and a medical certificate to the German Cancer Aid. The forms are available on their website.
What are the benefits of a disability pass for cancer patients?
A disability pass (from a degree of disability of 50) offers, among other things, special protection against dismissal, more holiday days (five additional days), tax relief (disability lump sum), earlier retirement, and discounts on public transport.
Will I get household help paid as a cancer patient?
Yes, under certain conditions, you are entitled to household help if no other person living in the household can manage the household. If children under the age of twelve live in the household, assistance can be provided for a longer period (up to 26 weeks).
What is the co-payment limit for cancer patients?
The co-payment limit for chronically ill patients (including cancer patients) is one percent of the annual gross family income. For other insured persons, it is two percent. Once this limit is reached, you can be exempted from further co-payments for the remainder of the year.
