One month to lodge an appeal, no deadline for an upgrade. You win both with records, not with arguments.
Two routes that are often confused:
If the one-month deadline is still running and you are unsure: lodge an appeal to preserve the deadline. One sentence is enough; you can submit the reasons later.
An appeal that says “we do not agree with the classification” will be rejected. What works is a module-by-module comparison:
Our care level calculator shows you which module correction actually changes the care level – and which does not. This saves you an appeal that cannot change anything mathematically.
Not every correction is worth the effort. The weighting decides:
| Module | What is assessed | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mobility Getting up, transferring, moving around the home, climbing stairs. | 10 % |
| 2 | Cognitive and communication skills Orientation, recognising people, everyday decisions, conversation. | 15% (together with module 3) |
| 3 | Behaviour and psychological problems Restlessness at night, resistance to care, anxiety, aggression. | 15% (together with module 2) |
| 4 | Self-care Washing, dressing, eating, drinking, using the toilet. The most heavily weighted module. | 40 % |
| 5 | Coping with illness- or therapy-related demands Medication, dressings, injections, doctor's visits, therapies. | 20 % |
| 6 | Organising everyday life and social contacts Structuring the day, keeping in touch with others, keeping busy. | 15 % |
Self-care is weighted at 40 percent. One step more here has roughly the same effect as four steps in mobility. If you want to save your energy, check this module first and mobility last.
One month from receipt of the decision (§ 84 SGG). The deadline is short – if necessary, lodge an appeal without reasons to preserve the deadline and submit the reasons later.
The appeal procedure with the long-term care insurance fund (Pflegekasse) is free of charge. Subsequent proceedings before the social court (Sozialgericht) are also free of court fees; a lawyer is not required.
A new assessment can also lead to a different evaluation. In practice this is rare, but you should be aware of it before you appeal.
An appeal challenges a decision you believe is wrong and is subject to a deadline. A request for a higher care level is a new application because the condition has worsened – possible at any time, with no deadline.
A complete care diary kept over several weeks that contradicts exactly those modules in which the report awarded too few points. General dissatisfaction is not grounds for an appeal.
Care-Assistant keeps the care diary digitally: entries in seconds, evaluation according to the six modules of the assessment, report as a PDF for the long-term care insurance fund and the Medical Service (MD).
€9.50 per month, cancel anytime. incl. 19% VAT