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So this is how the healthcare system helps you

If you become ill in Germany, you usually don't have to worry about whether you'll receive help. Doctors, hospitals, emergency services and many other facilities work together so that people receive medical care and are well looked after.

This collaboration is called the healthcare system. It ensures that you receive treatment when you are ill and support when you need care.


Who helps you in the healthcare system?

The healthcare system includes many different facilities, professions and insurance providers:

  • Doctors: They examine you, diagnose illnesses and treat diseases.
  • Hospitals: These treat people when treatment in a doctor's practice is not sufficient. For example, during surgeries, severe illnesses or emergencies.
  • Emergency services: They assist in medical emergencies. Ambulances and emergency doctors provide on-site care and quickly transport people to a hospital.
  • Pharmacies: Here you can get medication. Pharmacists explain how to take the medication correctly and inform you about side effects and interactions.
  • Therapeutic professions such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and psychotherapy: They assist with treatment and rehabilitation.
  • Rehabilitation facilities: These treat people after illnesses, surgeries or accidents. The goal is to help them regain independence in daily life and work.
  • Care facilities and care services: They support people who need help in daily life. For example, with personal hygiene, nutrition or medical care.
  • Health authorities: They are responsible for public health protection, such as infection control.
  • Insurance providers: They cover many medical services and provide financial security in case of illness, care needs or old age.

All these organizations work together with a shared goal: to treat illnesses, maintain health and quickly stabilize people after an illness or accident.


Where to get help first

If you have health problems, your first point of contact is usually your general practitioner's practice. You will be examined there first. If necessary, you will receive a referral to specialist practices, hospitals or therapy. Ideally, you will never become seriously ill and can live an active, self-determined life.

You can do a lot yourself to achieve this. A healthy lifestyle helps prevent illness. This includes regular exercise, a balanced diet, sufficient sleep and time to recover. Preventive examinations and vaccinations also help detect or avoid illnesses early.

The healthcare system also supports you with this. Your health insurance offers preventive examinations and health programs. Your general practitioner can advise you on which offers are suitable for you.

Together with the healthcare system, you can do a lot to stay healthy and live an active life.


Who pays for all this?

Medical care costs money. This includes doctor visits, hospital treatments, therapies and medication. To ensure that everyone can receive medical help, Germany has social insurance systems. They provide financial support in case of illness, care needs, accidents or old age. You pay contributions from your salary for these insurances. Your employer also contributes a share.

The most important social insurance systems include:

  • Health insurance
  • Care insurance
  • Pension insurance
  • Accident insurance


Which insurance helps when?

Statutory health insurance (SHI)

Health insurance helps you stay healthy and recover from illness.

It covers many medical services such as doctor visits, hospital treatments, medication, examinations, preventive screenings, health courses and vaccinations. Your health insurance also provides advice and information on health, treatment options and preventive care. If you are ill and unable to work for more than six weeks, the health insurance also pays sickness benefit, ensuring your financial security.

Social care insurance

Care insurance provides support if you need care in daily life. This can be due to illness, disability or old age.

Care insurance supports, for example, with:

  • Care allowance: Money you receive if family members or others care for you at home.
  • Care service: An outpatient care service comes to your home and assists with personal hygiene, dressing, medication or medical treatments.
  • Aids: Care insurance covers certain aids that make daily life easier. These include nursing beds, wheelchairs, walking aids or emergency call systems.
  • Grants for home modifications: If your home needs to be adapted for care, care insurance can provide financial support. For example, for a barrier-free shower, grab bars in the bathroom or a ramp.

To determine how much help someone needs, the Medical Service assesses the situation. A care degree is then assigned.

German Pension Insurance (GPI)

Pension insurance helps you return to work and provides income in old age.

You receive money in old age if you have worked for a long time and paid contributions. This money is called a pension. Pension insurance also supports you if you can no longer work or can only work to a limited extent due to illness. This money is called a reduced earnings capacity pension. It also covers rehabilitation (rehab) to help you return to work. An important principle is: Rehab before pension. This means that efforts are first made to maintain your ability to work. Ability to work means: You are healthy enough to perform your job regularly.

Pension insurance also offers programs to prevent illness. One example is the RV Fit program. RV Fit is aimed at employees with initial health complaints such as back pain, stress or exhaustion. In the program, you learn exercises for movement, tips for a healthy diet and strategies for managing stress. The goal is to strengthen your health so that you remain able to work in the long term.

German Statutory Accident Insurance (DGUV)

Accident insurance provides assistance in case of work-related accidents, accidents on the way to or from work, or illnesses caused by work. It aims to protect your health and safety at work.

It covers medical treatments after an accident, rehabilitation measures, therapies, aids and cash benefits in cases of permanent damage. It also supports people in returning to work, for example through vocational rehab or retraining. Important: Accident insurance only provides assistance if the accident or illness is related to your work.

The German healthcare system can seem complicated. But its goal is simple: people should receive medical help when they need it. At the same time, you can contribute a lot yourself to staying healthy—for example, through prevention, exercise and a healthy lifestyle. In this way, you and the healthcare system work together to maintain your health.


How can you use the healthcare system for yourself?

Many aspects of the healthcare system are handled automatically. However, there are some things you need to take care of yourself to receive support.

If you are employed, your employer handles many organizational matters:

  • Registration with social insurance providers
  • Payment of contributions including your share
  • Reporting a work-related accident
  • Safety training at the workplace
  • Occupational health and safety measures
  • Forwarding important information to insurance providers

You need to arrange these things yourself to receive the right help:

  • See a doctor promptly if you are ill
  • Report sick leave to your employer immediately
  • Report work or commuting accidents to your employer immediately
  • Follow safety rules at the workplace
  • Organize and attend doctor's appointments
  • Use referrals to specialists
  • Take medication as prescribed
  • Use your health insurance's preventive care offers such as vaccinations, health courses and preventive examinations
  • Submit applications for rehab, pension or the RV Fit program
  • Submit applications for care services
  • Take care of your health: balanced diet, sufficient exercise, sleep and recovery, avoid addictive substances

 

If you still have questions and need help:

Medical on-call service

· Phone: 116 117

· Here you can get medical help when your doctor's practice is closed.

Emergency call

· Phone: 112

· For life-threatening emergencies such as severe accidents or shortness of breath

Independent Patient Advice

· Phone: 0800 011 77 22

· Free advice on treatments, health insurance, patient rights

Citizens' hotline of the Federal Ministry of Health

· Phone: 030 340 60 66

· Information on health insurance, care, health regulations

German Pension Insurance

· Phone: 0800 1000 4800

· Questions about pensions, rehab or reduced earnings capacity.

Statutory Accident Insurance

· Phone: 0800 60 50 40 4

· Questions about work-related accidents or occupational diseases.

Statutory Health Insurance

· Phone: 030 340 60 66 01

· General questions about health insurance.

Care Insurance

· Phone: 030 340 60 66 02

· Questions about care services or care degrees.

If you are unsure which office is responsible, you can still call.
The staff will be happy to assist you.

 

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