Public health insurance such as Barmer covers you for all medically necessary healthcare services and treatments. This includes healthcare at doctors, specialists, approved therapists, hospitals, basic dental care, prescription medication and more. If you need healthcare, there is always a service or treatment available to you.

Yes. If you’re insured with Barmer, you’ll receive many additional benefits that are not normally provided under public health insurance. These include access to leading treatments, faster appointments with specialists, free medical advice via telephone as well as modern, digital apps and online services. For more information on how to get the most out of your health insurance, visit our webpage Barmer Benefits, call our English Service Hotline or visit us in person at a Barmer service point. We are always happy to assist you.

Yes, when the prescription is pink or yellow. Barmer covers all medication that doctors prescribe as medically necessary. Prescriptions come in the colours pink, blue, green and sometimes yellow. The colour determines who will pay for the medication and how long the prescription is valid. Pink prescriptions are covered by public health insurance and are mostly valid for 28 days. Yellow prescriptions are covered, too, but are only valid for 7 days. Green and blue prescriptions are not covered. In Germany, statutory co-payments between 5 and 10 euro per package are charged for medication on pink or yellow prescriptions.

Yes. Barmer covers the full costs for all officially recommended vaccinations in Germany. In addition, Barmer also reimburses 100% of the costs for travel vaccinations that are not normally covered under public health insurance. This way, you’ll have even more money to enjoy for your vacation. As a BARMER member, you can find out what travel vaccinations are recommended by calling our free BARMER Teledoktor on 0800 333 560.

Yes. Barmer covers the costs for therapeutic treatments prescribed by a doctor. However, you are required to make a statutory co-payment of 10% of the cost of these treatments and an additional 10 euro per prescription. Therapeutic treatments include physiotherapeutic treatments and occupational, voice, speech and language therapies, podiatry therapy for diabetic foot syndrome as well as nutritional therapy for rare metabolic diseases.

You need therapeutic treatments over a long period of time?

The legislator has created regulations on this topic in the so-called Heilmittel-Richtlinie (Therapeutic Products Directive). The regulation specifies the maximum amount of treatment that can be prescribed in a regular case (the so-called "Regelfall"). If the amount of prescribed treatment is not sufficient because of serious and permanent damage to health, a long-term need for therapeutic treatments can be recognized under certain conditions.

There are two diagnosis lists that include the respective serious diagnoses:

Diagnosis list of the "Heilmittel-Richtlinie"	List of special prescription cases
Examples: Chronic rheumatic inflammatory disease of the joints in childhood Lymphoedema from stage II Paraparesis (incomplete paralysis) and paraplegia	Examples: Multiple sclerosis Post-stroke condition (limited to a maximum of one year after the acute event) Scoliosis (under certain conditions)

If your diagnosis is included in one of the diagnosis lists and other additional conditions are met, the requirements for a longer-term or long-term need for therapeutic treatment are fulfilled. In this case, Barmer does not require any application.

What if my diagnosis is not included in the lists?

If your doctor has diagnosed you with a serious health condition and long-term impairment lasting longer than one year, you can apply to Barmer for the individual approval of a long-term therapeutic treatment requirement.

Please submit the following documents to us for the assessment of your application:

• Your application in free form and
• A copy of the medical prescription with medical justification.
• If available, further medical documents such as hospital reports, medical findings.

We may obtain a neutral expert opinion from the "Medizinische Dienst" (Medical Advisory Service) to review your application. If the requirements for a long-term therapeutic treatment are met, your application will be approved. 

If the requirements are not met, you will receive a written rejection, which you should also submit to your doctor. This rejection does not mean that your doctor is no longer allowed to prescribe therapeutic treatments. The doctor can, for example, continue a medically necessary treatment beyond the "orientierende Behandlungsmenge" (indicative treatment quantity).

People with statutory health insurance should always receive medically necessary therapeutic treatment. Exclusion only applies if the doctor determines that the prescription is not economical. This would be the case, for example, if the treatment objective can also be achieved with medical aids, medication or personal measures, taking into account the respective therapy risks – for example, through self-exercise programs, sporting activities or a change in lifestyle. The doctor decides on this in each individual case as part of their therapeutic responsibility.

Yes. You can receive psychotherapy easily and free of charge via your e-health card, but your therapist needs to be registered within the public health insurance system.

The Barmer Doctor Finder is a good place to start when looking for an approved psychotherapist in your area – especially one who speaks your preferred language.

On the website of the Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung (National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians), you can also search for psychotherapists in your area. You can find all approved psychotherapists under the heading “Tipps zur Online-Arztsuche: So finden Sie Ihren Arzt oder Psychotherapeuten”. Please note that this website is only available in German.

You can also receive telephone support to find a psychotherapist by calling the special appointment service hotline of the Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung. You can reach this service at the nationwide number 116117 or at www.116117.de. Agents on this special hotline will try to support you in English, but the menu choices given at the beginning of the call are only in German.

In Germany, professional dental cleaning is not covered by public health insurance. However, with the Barmer Bonus Program, you can earn cash subsidies of up to 150 euro each year, which you can use to cover the costs for this service. For pregnant women, we cover the full costs of one professional dental cleaning. Barmer also covers the full costs for tartar removal once a year as part of your preventive dental care.

It’s easy. The Barmer Doctor Finder helps you to find doctors anywhere in Germany.

Call the practice. The doctor’s staff will advise you on the best time to visit. Some doctors’ practices in Germany have an open consultation time called a Sprechstunde, where you can visit the doctor without an appointment. However, most doctors work on an appointment only schedule. For your convenience, some doctors also offer appointments via an online booking system.

Yes. You can visit some medical specialists without a referral – but in Germany, your GP, gynecologist, dentist or pediatrician are still the recommended first points of contact to coordinate all your future healthcare needs.

Yes. If you need to see a medical specialist and your waiting time is too long, the Barmer Teledoktor can help you organize a faster appointment with our exclusive Appointment Service for Barmer members. In some cases, a specialist may not be available in your immediate area, but we will always find the closest possible option for you.

In most cases, yes. In Germany, a doctor will refer you for hospital treatment, but you are free to choose which public hospital you are treated in. In an emergency, paramedics will decide if you need to be treated at a hospital or not.

No. As a Barmer member, you don’t need to pay anything when you visit a doctor who is registered within the public health insurance system. Everything that is medically necessary is billed directly to Barmer via your e-health card. If you choose an additional treatment that is not covered under public healthcare, some extra costs may arise, but your doctor will inform you in advance. This way, you can decide what is best for you. An example is dental fillings: A special high-end material may require an additional cost – but the standard quality material is always free. In some cases, however, small co-payments are required for healthcare services.

Only sometimes. Statutory co-payments between 5 and 10 euro are required for some healthcare services, for example for hospital treatment per day, prescription medication, medical aids or physical therapies. These co-payments apply to everyone who has public health insurance, except for children. Pregnant women also have co-payment exemptions for some healthcare services and medication, so feel free to contact us for further advice.

Yes. All family members living in the same household can apply for a co-payment exemption. The exemption is possible when your household’s combined annual co-payments exceed 2% of your household’s combined annual gross income (or 1% in the case of chronic illness). Make sure you keep all your co-payment receipts as proof. The co-payment exemption is calculated every calendar year. Your Barmer service advisors are happy to guide you on this topic.

112. If you require first aid in the case of an emergency, you can reach paramedics, an ambulance or the fire brigade on the toll-free number 112 from everywhere in Europe. You can reach emergency police assistance on the number 110.

Yes. In case of emergencies, you can visit a hospital emergency centre directly. However, the paramedics on site will assess your condition and prioritize your treatment. If there is no immediate danger or concern to your health, simply use the Barmer Doctor Finder to locate a doctor near you – or call the telephone number 116117 on the weekend or at night.

You will always be treated in an emergency. It’s important to always carry the e-health card with you, but you will receive emergency treatment in Germany – even if your e-health card is not on you at the time. When you feel better, the medical staff will ask you for your e-health card so Barmer can pay for your emergency treatment.

Yes. In Germany, paramedic assistance, ambulance and emergency transport are generally covered by public health insurance – and are subject to a statutory co-payment of maximum 10 euro. In exceptional rescue situations, for example helicopter extraction from inaccessible mountain areas, public health insurance will not cover the costs.

Yes. The Barmer Teledoktor is available daily from 6:00 to 24:00 via telephone, chat or in-app message to provide free medical advice in English across all healthcare areas – from asthma to toothaches. Video consultations from doctors are available Monday to Friday from 7:00 to 22:00, and on weekends and public holidays from 8:00 to 20:00. Download the Barmer Teledoktor-App or call directly on the toll-free number 0800 333 560 from within Germany. If you are calling from outside Germany, please dial the number +49 202 568 3333 560*.

*) Charges may apply according to the tariff of your telephone network provider

Your personal online service centre. With the Barmer-App and Meine Barmer, you can easily manage your health insurance online – quickly and securely from wherever you are in the world. You can access the Meine Barmer online service centre directly from the Barmer website – or via the Barmer-App from a mobile device. As a registered user of our online service centre, you can:

• Fill out and download applications and certificates digitally
• Update personal data
• Receive reminder services for preventive medical checkups and vaccinations
• Use your personal online mailbox for secure, digital communication with us
• Submit sick notes and keep track of sickness benefit payments
• Stay informed about the processing status of your maternity pay
• Enjoy attractive online courses and apps for your health
• Access many other digital services and apps for Barmer members

Would you like to know more? Simply contact us for further support. 

You only need to register once – for either the Barmer-App or Meine Barmer. Your username and password can be used for all Barmer online services and digital offers. Currently, the registration process for our online services is only available in German. If you require further support, our English Service Hotline is available on 0800 333 0060 (from abroad, +49 202 568 333 0060) – our customer service advisors are always happy to assist you.*

* On weekdays from 8:01 PM to 6:59 AM, weekends and national public holidays, our telephone hotline is operated by our partner asf gmbh. The company’s team is specially trained in matters surrounding social insurance. We have specifically chosen them to ensure that you receive the best service possible outside of our business hours. The protection of your data is of course ensured.

Your personal ID for medical services. The e-health card displays or stores all necessary information about your health insurance and emergency data – so that you can be treated easily and safely. At the doctor’s practice or hospital, the e-health card is scanned and all necessary medical services are billed directly to Barmer.

It’s easy. When you apply for Barmer membership, a personal contact partner will support you to set up everything you need. There are a few different ways to submit your photo for the e-health card, and we’ll let you know the best option depending on where you are in the world when you apply. You can also call our English Service Hotline, and we’ll send you a special upload code.

After you register your permanent address. Your new electronic health insurance card should arrive a few weeks after Barmer receives confiormation of your permanent address. If you don’t have an address, we can give you a temporary certificate to show the doctor, which works just like the e-health card.

Call our English Service Hotline. Our customer service advisors can send you a temporary certificate to show the doctor or even speak directly with the practice to ensure your treatment. If necessary, we’ll also send you a new e-health card. You can also apply for a new card easily and quickly via the Barmer App.

Your personal ID for emergency medical services in Europe. Your EHIC is located on the back of your Barmer e-health card. It will assist you in most EU countries to receive emergency medical treatment. The EHIC works the same way as the e-health card – show your card to the doctor and the costs are billed directly to Barmer. But some doctors will ask you to pay upfront, and if this happens, you’ll have to settle the costs directly with the doctor and then send Barmer the invoice for reimbursement.

Important: Barmer can only cover costs if the medical services you receive are also included in the public healthcare system of that country. And we only reimburse the amount that the same treatment would cost in Germany. Medical repatriation as well as search and rescue services are not covered by the EHIC. To protect your financial security, it’s important to take out an additional travel health insurance when travelling outside Germany.

It depends on your nationality. EU nationals can use their EHIC within the EU and some other EEA countries (Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). However, in most cases, non-EU nationals cannot use their EHIC in Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Lichtenstein – in this case, an additional travel health insurance is essential when travelling to these countries.

Yes, very affordable. Additional travel health insurance costs around 20 euro a year, which can provide you with all the additional cover you need in the case of an accident or illness. If you’re a legal resident of Germany, you have the same right to affordable travel insurance as a German citizen.

Contact our partner HUK Coburg Health Insurance. Although there are many companies in Germany that offer affordable and reliable travel health insurance, we recommend our partner HUK Coburg Health Insurance. Barmer members enjoy exclusive rates and conditions for foreign travel health insurance and other additional insurances, too.