[Eligibility for intensive nursing care. Part 1: Guidelines and current experience]

Against the background of the planned statutory Pflegeversicherung (insurance for nursing care) in Germany, a report is presented on experience gained to date with the new Leistungsbestand "Schwerpflegebedürftigkeit" (situation requiring social benefit "urgent need of nursing care") (Para. 53 ff. SGB V). The experience gained so far is of particular interest since, for the first time on a large scale, monetäre Erstattungsleistung (the provision of a monetary entitlement) replaces the Sachleistungsprinzip (benefit in the form of services) that is otherwise applied in the area of health insurance. It is intended that this form of entitlement will form the core of the planned nursing care insurance scheme.