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• IV guide

  The essentials about disability insurance (IV)

  
  • Bilateral, leg-predominantBoth legs affected
  • HemiparesisOne side of the body affected
  • Unilateral, leg-predominantOne leg affected
  • Whole body affectedWhole body affected
  • ParentsParents

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  Easy-to-read summary

  This guide gives you an overview of the most important benefits of the Swiss Disability Insurance (IV) for cerebral palsy: medical measures, the helplessness allowance, travel costs and, for families with children, the intensive-care supplement. The main focus is on the assistance contribution, which makes it possible to employ helpers, and on family caregiving through Spitex home care, where relatives are paid for providing care. You will learn how the two models can be combined, what to bear in mind as an employer and where to file the application.

  This Power-up gives you an overview of the IV. The IV helps with many costs.

  How the IV helps

  The IV is an insurance run by the state.
  IV is short for the Swiss disability insurance.
  It pays for help for people with a disability.

  The IV pays for treatment up to age 20

  Young people with cerebral palsy (CP) get therapies and treatments.
  The IV pays for them until their 20th birthday.
  Sometimes it pays for longer.
  For example during an apprenticeship.
  The IV also pays for the trips to treatment.

  There is money for care

  Does a person with CP need a lot of help in everyday life?
  Then there is money every month.
  This money is called helplessness allowance.
  Does the care take a very long time?
  Then there is even more money.
  This is called intensive-care supplement.
  The supplement is only for children under 18.
  The family gets the money.

  Register early

  The IV also pays for the time before you register.
  But only for 1 year at most.
  So register early.
  Otherwise you lose money.

  You can employ helpers

  There is money for help in everyday life.
  This money is called assistance contribution.
  With it, you employ helpers.
  These helpers help in everyday life.
  They also take some work off the family.

  You are then the employer.
  You choose the helpers yourself.
  You make a contract with them.
  Every month, you report the hours and costs to the IV.

  Important: Parents and grandparents do not get money from the assistance contribution.

  You can get paid for caregiving

  Do you care for someone in your family at home?
  Then a Spitex organisation can employ you.
  Spitex helps with care at home.
  You then get a wage for your care.

  Important: Tell the IV.
  Then there are fewer hours in the assistance contribution.

  Often, both together are best.
  Get advice about this.
  For example from Pro Infirmis, Procap or the Cerebral Association.

  Your canton is responsible

  Every canton has its own IV office.
  The IV office is the office of the IV.
  The canton where you live is always responsible.