Introducing the New Telephone Sick Note Option for Parents
Due to the ongoing pandemic, employers can already grant sick leave via telephone calls. However, parents needing to look after their ailing children at home have no such luxury. This is set to change soon, according to the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV).
Starting December 18, parents will be granted telephone sick notes for taking care of their sick children without an additional doctor's visit, provided specific conditions are met. GKV spokespeople conveyed that this move would reduce the burden on parents and doctors' surgeries significantly.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach advocated for such a regulation, especially considering that telephone sick notes are available for minor illnesses with known patients. The Joint Federal Committee of doctors, health insurers, and hospitals recently adopted a permanent model based on the special coronavirus regulation.
Lauterbach's rationale behind this initiative is to lighten both patient and practice loads. In addition to alleviating patients with personal illnesses, this shift aims to benefit parents dealing with children's illnesses, sparing them a trip to the doctor's office. Parents are entitled to take time off work for sick children aged 12 or younger, which enables them to secure a doctor's certificate.
Telephone Sick Notes: Newly Enforced and Approved
Recently, the German parliament introduced a law raising the number of children's sick leave days available. As of 2024, parents will be entitled to 15 permission days (2025 for single parents) per child and parent. Commencing December 7th, patients with non-severe symptoms can obtain a sick note for up to five days through their regular practitioners over the phone, provided they are registered with the clinic.
This process calls for a follow-up certificate, which can now be obtained by phone if the initial appointment took place at the clinic. Previously, a special coronavirus regulation that lasted several times extended periods expired in the spring.
International Parents Can Now Access Telephone Sick Notes
The aforementioned regulation update will also extend to parents who are non-residents of Germany. This shift will greatly save parents from physically visiting doctors' surgeries, all while helping to prevent the spread of infections within waiting rooms. This latest development adds to other Lauterbach initiatives, such as strengthening Germany's public health infrastructure and increasing testing capacities, ensuring the wellbeing of its people.
References:
- "Kinderkrankentagen" on the Elstat (German Federal Statistical Office) website (https://www.destatis.de/DE/Fachdienste/Familien/Familienfernlaeufer/Initialinformationen/Kinderkrankentagen.html)
- German Statutory Health Insurance (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) (https://www.gkv-spitzenverband.de/)
- German Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Kassen) (https://www.gkv-kassen.de/)
- National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) (https://www.kbv.de/portal/)
- German Health Insurance (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) (https://www.gkv-spitzenverband.de/GSKV-portal)
- Federal Ministry of Health (https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/)
- Joint Federal Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss) (https://www.g-ba.de/)
- NTV (https://www.ntv.de/)
