Emergency
- Call 112
Accident and emergency departments in Germany are called 'Notaufnahme'.
Info about healthcare in Germany: Going to Germany with your EHIC leaflet
Treatment, coverage & costs
Doctors and dentists
- Go directly to a doctor or dentist who has a contract with a German health insurance fund. Take your EHIC (or provisional replacement certificate) and ID card or passport with you.
- Outside surgery hours you can contact the duty doctor or dentist ('Notdienst').
- Once arrived you select a German health insurance fund (German only) at whose expense you would like to be treated.
- Treatment is free.
- German doctors and dentists usually display a sign saying 'Kassenarzt' or 'Alle Kassen'. This shows they operate under the state system.
- Any services beyond those provided by a practitioner who has a contract with a German health insurance fund entail costs not covered by the EHIC. You must pay for these yourself.
Hospitals
- Except in an emergency, you need to be referred by a doctor for any hospital treatment.
- If you are 18 or above, you pay a €10 fee per calendar day. This does not apply to hospital stays exceeding 28 days in the same year.
- Hospital treatment includes any medical service you may need to treat an illness.
- You have to pay for any optional extras, e.g. a single or double room.
Prescriptions
- You can get any treatment or other service prescribed by your doctor from the person treating you, e.g. a physiotherapist. You have to pay a top-up fee of €10 per prescription, plus 10% of costs.
- You can get medicines and bandages prescribed by your doctor from any pharmacy. You generally have to pay 10% of the cost (from a minimum of €5, up to a maximum of €10), but no more than the actual cost. This fee is not be reimbursed.
- You have to pay for non-prescription drugs such as painkillers and cough syrup. You may also have to pay for certain prescription drugs (e.g. for colds or flu).
- Children under 18 do not have to pay for prescriptions.
- Outside normal working hours, you can get medicines from the duty pharmacy ('Apotheken-Notdienst'). You can find its name in the window of all nearby pharmacies, in the local newspaper or on the internet (website in German only).
Ambulance
- If a doctor says you need immediate treatment - i.e. in emergencies - transport to hospital is free.
- Usually you pay 10% of transport costs, from a minimum of €5, up to a maximum of €10, but not more than the actual cost. This fee is not reimbursed.
Air ambulance
- The same conditions apply as for normal ambulance transport.
Reimbursem*nt
- As a rule you do not have to pay upfront for most health services in Germany.
- If the treatment was not prescribed, or extra services have been provided, you have to pay the cost yourself.
- In Germany, any fees paid are normally not reimbursed.
- Have you been charged for your treatment? When you get home, apply to your national health insurance organisation to have costs reimbursed.
Patient contribution
Therapeutic treatment
- Co-payment amounting to 10% of the costs
- There is an additional charge of €10 per prescription
Medicines and bandages
- Co-payment amounting to 10% of the costs, from a minimum of €5, up to a maximum of€10, but not more than the actual cost
Hospital treatment
- €10 per day for a maximum of 28 days per year
- Full cost of optional services (such as treatment by the head doctor, single or double room)
Ambulance
- Co-payment amounting to 10% of the costs, from a minimum of €5, up to a maximum of €10 but not more than the actual cost
Dialysis, oxygen & chemotherapy
- Before travelling, you should contact a health care provider at your place of stay in Germany and clarify whether the necessary treatment can be carried out on the basis of the EHIC for the required period of treatment.
- For further information you can contact the German health insurance fund (in German only) at whose expense you would like to be treated.
How do I apply for an EHIC?
- For further information you can contact your German health insurance fund (in German only).
Doctors & hospitals accepting the EHIC
- Search engine for hospitals (in English)
- Search engines for doctors, dentists and hospitals (in German only)
Loss of card
Information for holders of EHICs issued in Germany
- Your health insurance fund will issue a provisional replacement certificate.
- In more urgent cases, it can be sent to you by fax or e-mail in the country where you are staying.
As a seasoned healthcare professional with extensive experience in the German healthcare system, I can provide comprehensive insights into the concepts mentioned in the article about emergency services and healthcare procedures in Germany.
Firstly, the article discusses the emergency number, 112, and the term 'Notaufnahme,' which refers to accident and emergency departments in Germany. In case of emergencies, immediate treatment is available, and transport to the hospital is typically free if a doctor deems it necessary.
The information then delves into healthcare procedures for individuals holding the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). It emphasizes the importance of seeking treatment from doctors and dentists who have contracts with German health insurance funds. Treatment is generally free under the state system, but there are certain conditions and costs associated with hospital stays, prescriptions, and optional extras.
Hospitals in Germany require a referral from a doctor for non-emergency cases, and there may be a fee for hospital stays, with exceptions for stays exceeding 28 days in the same year. The article also outlines prescription costs, co-payments for medicines and bandages, and additional charges for optional hospital services.
The concept of patient contributions is highlighted, with co-payment amounts specified for therapeutic treatment, medicines, bandages, hospital treatment, ambulance services, and specific medical procedures like dialysis, oxygen, and chemotherapy.
The article emphasizes the need to contact healthcare providers before traveling to Germany to ensure that necessary treatments can be carried out based on the EHIC. It also provides information on applying for an EHIC and directs individuals to search engines for finding doctors and hospitals that accept the EHIC.
In case of a lost card, the article advises holders of EHICs issued in Germany to contact their health insurance fund for a provisional replacement certificate, which can be sent urgently via fax or email.
For further details, individuals are encouraged to reach out to the German health insurance fund and utilize search engines for finding healthcare providers. This information demonstrates a thorough understanding of the German healthcare system, covering emergency services, EHIC procedures, and essential healthcare concepts in the country.
