Many people first learn about home care services through their health insurance when things suddenly stop running as smoothly as they used to. A pregnancy with complications. A hospital stay. Surgery. A serious mental or physical illness. Or simply the moment when the daily grind of caring for children, doing laundry, running errands, and dealing with physical exhaustion all at once becomes too much to handle alone.
Then you start wondering who’s actually going to take care of the housework after the surgery. Or who’s going to clean the apartment after the C-section.
Many people in this situation are not even aware that, in certain circumstances, their public health insurance may actually cover the costs of a home care aide.
That is exactly why we at Helferei make it clearer when support is available, how household help through health insurance works, and which situations most commonly lead to you needing to use this service. Because people who suddenly need support often have neither the time nor the energy to wade through complicated forms and confusing information online.
In general, public health insurance plans may cover the cost of a home care worker if an insured person is temporarily unable to manage their own household due to illness. However, this applies to far more situations than many people realize.
This issue is particularly common following hospital stays, surgeries, or during pregnancy or after childbirth. For example, someone who is not allowed to lift heavy objects after outpatient surgery, needs to take it easy physically after a C-section, or cannot manage daily life on their own due to a serious mental or physical illness often suddenly faces very practical problems: Who will take the children to school? Who will do the shopping? Who will clean the apartment or do the laundry?
Domestic help and home support services are available specifically for situations like these, and your doctor can prescribe them for you.
It is important to note that whether approval is granted after the medical certificate is submitted always depends on the specific circumstances of each case and the respective health insurance provider. In addition, there is often a requirement that no other person living in the household is able to provide the care.
Many women rely on support during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. However, they are often unaware that this support may be available through their health insurance.
High-risk pregnancies, severe discomfort, or physical limitations after childbirth often make it nearly impossible to manage daily tasks on one’s own. In many cases, doctors even explicitly recommend taking it easy. At the same time, there is often enormous pressure to keep functioning somehow, especially during this phase—particularly if there are other children in the household.
In such a situation, a housekeeper can do more than just help with cleaning. Often, their assistance also includes grocery shopping, laundry, cooking, or helping to care for older children on a daily basis. Many families don’t realize just how physically taxing even small, everyday tasks can be until after giving birth or having a C-section.
Important note: Special rules may apply to pregnancy-related conditions. In some cases, health insurance providers may even waive the required copayment. Talk to your health insurance provider about your specific situation.
Even after a hospital stay, a situation often arises that many people underestimate. Medically speaking, you may be considered discharged. In practice, however, that doesn’t automatically mean that your daily life will immediately return to normal.
Especially after surgery or serious illness, many people are temporarily physically limited. This applies not only to physical illnesses. Hospital stays due to mental health conditions are considered by doctors and health insurance companies in the same way as assistance with household chores following surgery.
Shopping, cleaning the house, or taking care of the kids can suddenly become a challenge here as well. At the same time, many people want to recover as quickly as possible and avoid having their recovery delayed by overexertion or the situation getting even worse.
For this reason, health insurance providers may, under certain conditions, cover the cost of a home health aide even after outpatient surgeries, hospital stays, or rehabilitation. It is therefore a good idea to discuss the possibility of receiving assistance from a home health aide with your doctor or health insurance provider early on and, if necessary, apply for it in a timely manner.
There is one misconception we encounter particularly often: Many people believe that daily assistance in the form of a home health aide through health insurance is generally only available to families with young children in the household.
In fact, however, there are also situations in which assistance can be provided even without children: for example, following a hospital stay, outpatient procedures, or serious illness. In such cases, some health insurance providers will cover the costs of household assistance for a limited period of time, which affected individuals may request because they are temporarily unable to manage their daily lives on their own.
At the same time, the policies of different health insurance providers can vary significantly. Some providers offer additional benefits or even more family-friendly policies than required by law.
At Helferei , we Helferei people in Berlin, Munich, Cologne, and Leipzig find the right kind of assistance for their daily needs. This includes housekeeping and cleaning services are our most frequently booked services. These include, for example, apartment cleaning, regular housekeeping, as well as family support or assistance following illness or pregnancy.
As a result, our platform connects many trained and experienced housekeepers who provide support to people in exactly these kinds of everyday situations. Some of our housekeepers have been assisting families and clients through Helferei for nearly two years now.
Helferei its own institution code (IK). This means that household assistance services to be billed to health insurance companies or submitted for reimbursement in certain cases. For example, we have already assisted several insured members of the Techniker Krankenkasse, the AOK Nordost, and BMW Betriebskrankenkasse and mkk .
It’s important to note that Helferei is Helferei not an in-network provider for health insurance companies . This means that the final decision on whether to cover the costs always rests with your health insurance provider.
In practice, it shows:
It is particularly important to us that getting help with everyday tasks shouldn’t be complicated or uncomfortable. Many people feel reluctant to accept help. In Germany, in particular, household help is often still seen as something you “should really be able to manage on your own.” Yet getting some relief in stressful life situations can make an enormous difference. Physically, mentally, and for your family. You can conveniently book your housekeeper, cleaning assistant, or housekeeper online via your personal link. Our system handles all processing and billing in accordance with your reimbursement agreement with your health insurance provider.
Society is currently undergoing significant changes. Families often no longer live in close proximity to one another, many parents work full-time at the same time, and support from relatives or friends is by no means always available. At the same time, the pressures associated with caregiving, child care, and managing daily life are steadily increasing.
That is precisely why home care is increasingly becoming an important part of modern healthcare and a source of relief in daily life. After all, recovery isn’t just about medical treatment; it’s often also about having the space to get well again in the first place.
Unfortunately, many people don’t realize until it’s too late that they might have been eligible for home care through their health insurance or other forms of daily assistance. That’s why it’s a good idea to seek information early on and talk to your health insurance provider or your doctor.
Because asking for help in everyday life isn't a sign of weakness. In many situations, it's simply necessary.
Our team is happy to assist you—especially with submitting claims to your health insurance provider or addressing the specific details of your case.
📩 Contact: support@die-helferei.de
🕓 Response times: Monday-Thursday, 9.00 am - 6.00 pm
