IV pensioners should also receive benefits for assisted living

Published: Wednesday, May 8th 2024, 14:10

Not only AHV pensioners, but also recipients of a disability pension should be able to live as independently as possible in future. The Federal Council has decided that they should also receive contributions for assisted living as part of supplementary benefits.

The Federal Council will amend the planned revision of the Federal Act on Supplementary Benefits to Old Age, Survivors' and Disability Insurance (ELG) accordingly. This was announced on Wednesday.

With the equal treatment of AHV and IV pensioners, he is responding to the consultation procedure on this revision project. This equality was called for in the consultation process. However, supplementary benefits should only be paid to IV pensioners once the benefits offered by the IV have been exhausted.

The Federal Council wants to pay the EL benefits, which are intended to support assisted living, in the form of a lump sum in advance to the EL recipient.

Delaying entry to a home

The Federal Council presented the revision of the law in June 2023. Its aim is to ensure that certain care services that enable independent living are taken into account in supplementary benefits (EL).

Around a third of people living in a retirement and nursing home require less than one hour of care per day, says the state government. Admission to a nursing home can be delayed or even avoided if older people live in an age-appropriate apartment and can receive Spitex services.

The proposal met with great interest, says the Federal Council. However, there was also a great deal of resistance. The cantons criticized the fact that they alone should be responsible for financing these additional benefits. In response, the Federal Council writes that these care services in the supplementary benefits system should be allocated to the costs of illness and disability. It is sticking to this position.

This corresponds to the responsibilities that have applied since the reorganization of financial equalization and the division of tasks between the federal government and the cantons since 2008.

300 to 620 million in additional costs

The Confederation estimates the additional costs for the cantons at around CHF 300 to 620 million, with savings of CHF 280 million. According to the federal government, the savings result from the fact that the EL care services delay or prevent admissions to nursing homes.

The Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) has been tasked with preparing a dispatch to Parliament by the fall. In June 2023, there was still talk of estimated costs of at least CHF 227 million to a maximum of CHF 476 million for the cantons and savings of an estimated CHF 279 million.

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IV pensioners should also receive benefits for assisted living

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