Digital care applications (DiPA): entitlement, application and how they differ from DiGA

Digital care applications (digitale Pflegeanwendungen, DiPA) are apps or web-based programs designed to maintain the independence of people in need of care or to stabilise care at home. Under § 40b of the Social Code Book XI (SGB XI), the care insurance fund reimburses up to €40 a month for the application and up to €30 a month for supplementary support from a home care service. You need a care grade (Pflegegrad), an application to your care insurance fund (Pflegekasse), and the app must be listed in the directory of the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM).

What counts as a DiPA

A DiPA is based essentially on digital technology and aims to reduce limitations to independence or counteract a worsening of care needs (§ 40a SGB XI). Applications that support family carers or volunteers can also qualify if they stabilise or ease care at home.

Applications for general daily needs, for organising work, for pure information or for administering benefits are expressly excluded. A calendar app, a messenger or a billing app will therefore not be reimbursed. Where an application counts as a medical device, only low-risk classes are eligible.

Possible uses include exercise programmes to maintain mobility, memory training or apps that guide relatives in organising care. Whether a specific app is reimbursable depends solely on its inclusion in the BfArM directory.

Benefits at a glance

Benefit	Amount	Legal basis
Reimbursement for the digital care application	up to €40 a month	§ 40b(1) no. 1 SGB XI
Supplementary support from a home care service	up to €30 a month	§ 40b(1) no. 2, § 39a SGB XI
Extra costs for functions beyond the listing	Paid privately	§ 40a(2) SGB XI

Supplementary support means that an approved home care service helps you use the application, for example with set-up or everyday questions. The care insurance fund must inform you about your personal contributions in writing or electronically and in an accessible format (§ 40b(2) SGB XI). The current legal text is available at § 40b SGB XI (in German).

The DiPA benefit comes on top of other care insurance benefits such as the care allowance or benefits in kind. Our care benefits calculator shows what you are entitled to overall.

How to apply

1. Check the care grade: without a recognised care grade there is no DiPA. See applying for a care grade.
2. Check the directory: look up the application in the DiPA directory on the BfArM website (largely in German) to see whether it is listed and what it is intended for.
3. Apply to the care insurance fund: an informal application is usually enough, and many funds provide forms. Name the application and briefly describe how it should help in your situation.
4. Wait for the decision: the fund assesses whether it is necessary and may ask you questions. No prescription is required.
5. Time-limited approval: the first approval is valid for six months at most. During this time the fund checks whether you use the application and whether it serves its purpose. If so, it grants an open-ended approval without a new application.

There is no entitlement under § 40a if the application must be provided by health insurance or another body because of illness or disability; that body is then responsible. If you need help with the application, you are entitled to care advice.

DiPA versus DiGA

Feature	DiPA (digital care application)	DiGA (digital health application)
Aim	Maintain independence, stabilise care at home	Detect, monitor, treat or relieve illness
Paid by	Care insurance (Pflegekasse)	Health insurance (Krankenkasse)
Legal basis	§§ 40a, 40b SGB XI	§ 33a SGB V
Access	Application to the care insurance fund; care grade required	Doctor’s prescription or approval by the health insurance fund
Directory	DiPA directory at BfArM	DiGA directory at BfArM

BfArM keeps both directories, but the benefits are separate. A health app on prescription is therefore not a DiPA, even if people in need of care use it in daily life.

Points to check

• Fit: an app only helps if it suits the person. Clarify who will use it: the person in need of care, relatives or the home care service.
• Technology: check which device is required and whether there is a stable internet connection. Devices such as tablets are not automatically paid for.
• Data protection: listed applications must meet data protection and security requirements. Still read which data is processed.
• Costs: ask about any personal contribution before you start, for example if the price is above the reimbursement amount.

Planned changes

With the Care Reorganisation Act (Pflegeneuordnungsgesetz, cabinet draft of 30 September 2026) the German government plans changes from 2027, including regular indexation of benefits from 2028. Until the law is enacted, the current rules apply. If in doubt, ask your care insurance fund for the amount that currently applies.

More articles are in our emergency call and technology section. This guide does not replace care or legal advice.