Author
Thomas Heimann, as appeared in Alpha1 Journal 2/2023.
I would actually have been ready for rehab again in 2021. But then we had Corona with all its downsides, which ruined that plan.
I've had three rehabilitation programs so far: in 2009, 2015, and 2019. The first two were in winter and each ended with a severe exacerbation. So I went home sick and didn't get much benefit from the rehabilitation treatments. My 2019 program took place in summer and was fantastic!
At the beginning of March 2023, with the support of my family doctor and pulmonologist, I submitted my rehabilitation application for 2023 to the German Pension Insurance (DRV). I chose the DRV because, at 62 years old, I am still working full-time, and as a public health insurance patient, the DRV is responsible for my case.
The plan was to submit the application in March, receive the decision in April, and then move into my chosen facility about four months in advance. In time for the next flu season.
First of all, the provider failed to meet all the legal deadlines for processing my application.
Things turned out differently.
First of all, the provider completely missed all the legal deadlines for processing my application. Of course, I had submitted all the documents via the provider's web portal and always received the transmission logs... which I saved. In May, I persistently endured the phone queue and finally ended up in a call center where a rather unfriendly person (that's putting it mildly) informed me that my application had been received, but wasn't yet being processed. Furthermore, she claimed that no legal deadlines applied to medical rehabilitation (unlike follow-up treatment). That's obviously nonsense, but she insisted on it.
Shortly afterward, I received a letter referring me to a nearby geriatric clinic. Completely unsuitable for us Alphas, from a professional standpoint. My family doctor's face nearly fell when I showed him the letter.
I immediately filed my objection and pointed out my legal right to choose the clinic. I also demanded a medical report to 'justify the unsuitability of my chosen clinic' and to demonstrate the greater suitability of the provider selected by the MD – medical service.
Nothing happened for four weeks!
I then inquired via email, data upload, and fax when the agency intended to respond. Nothing further. In parallel, I contacted the legal advice service of my social welfare association, as I was seriously considering filing a lawsuit for failure to act. That conversation was also rather sobering. In short: the courts aren't any faster! By the time it would even be heard, I'd probably be retired!
Then in August, I received a call from Berlin. The German Pension Insurance (DRV) was asking what was going on and whether I would accept their suggestion to move to a geriatric ward. They hadn't heard from me in ages. It rarely happens, but I was speechless. During the subsequent conversation with the genuinely nice caseworker, it turned out that all the letters, contacts, and applications after my initial appeal weren't in their electronic file. How careless are they with our data?
I faxed the woman all the documents I had gathered in the meantime. That would surely work. Unbelievable!
Three weeks later, the correct notification arrived. Unfortunately, given the current lead time of the selected clinic, the rehabilitation program will likely be scheduled for the Christmas period. This means that the rehabilitation program will probably no longer be available to me, as my doctor advised me to avoid rehabilitation during the flu season, similar to the advice regarding winter tires – from October to Easter.
And as I'm writing this, I get a call from my preferred clinic; they want to invite me in at the end of November! We've sorted out the situation with the winter tires, and I'll now apply for an extension of coverage (that's what it's called) with the health insurance provider so that the approved rehabilitation can only start in April 2024 for medical reasons. Let's see how long that takes.
I will gladly report afterwards on how the new clinic in the north is doing in relation to our Alpha-1.
