Statutory health insurance (GKV)

 Statutory health insurance (GKV)

All those with statutory health insurance in Germany are entitled to extensive insurance benefits. But since the last health care reform, the statutory health insurance (GKV) in particular has also offered opportunities to design health protection individually and inexpensively. The right health insurance companies have special additional services that can be agreed separately (e.g. optional tariffs or reimbursement of contributions). Insured persons can also achieve financial advantages with bonus programs. These offers are anchored as statutory services in the health insurance statutes. Read here what to look out for when concluding such special tariffs and what options the health insurance companies provide.

In a nutshell - the most important things about GKV

advantages

How is the GKV contribution determined?

In principle, the cash contribution is determined on the basis of the gross income. Various calculation criteria play a role here. The main focus is on the policyholder 's income that is subject to contributions . In  the case of voluntarily insured persons , on the other hand, the entire economic capacity is considered. Alimony payments, for example, but also income from rentals can be decisive.

Calculation criteria

Salary (also vacation pay and Christmas bonus)

social care

Income from capital investments

pension payments

Rental and Lease Income

Alimony paid by the divorced/separated spouse

Statutory pension payments (including widow's and orphan's pensions)

Statutory health insurance costs

Depending on gross income and the respective additional contribution, the costs for health insurance can vary. The policyholder's profession and the associated tariff also play a role. The self-employed usually have to reckon with more costs than employees below the compulsory insurance limit. Furthermore, other calculation bases apply to students. The following overview shows you examples of costs incurred depending on the professional group:

The example applies to a self-employed person with contributory income of €3,000 and an additional contribution of 1.1% including entitlement to sick pay.

Income-related contributions

GKV change is easily possible

Additional services similar to private health insurance

Disadvantages


Binding to statutory standard services

Co-payments for medication & Co.

Treatment partly only by panel doctors

Statutory health insurance in Germany is based on the principle of solidarity

Insured persons pay different contribution rates regardless of age or state of health

Regardless of the contribution, the insurance policies contain 95% of the same benefits


features GKV

Contribution relief by the employer

Health insurance freely selectable

No health check

Free family insurance

bonus programs

Health insurance comparison: Find the cheapest health insurance company

Since there are different health insurance contributions in Germany, it is worth comparing health insurance companies. A general contribution rate of 14.6% applies to health insurance companies. However, the additional contributions can be determined individually by each health fund. As a result, you can find expensive and cheap health insurance companies. A precise comparison of the health insurance companies with regard to current additional contributions is recommended and can save three-digit euro amounts every year. Strictly speaking, there is still a general contribution rate that applies uniformly to all funds. This amounts to 14.6% (employee and employer each split half of this contribution and the additional contribution). BUT:This is the base amount only. Every health insurance company has the right to charge an additional fee. This is charged in addition to the base amount and has no upper limit.

the new register accepts you. There is an obligation in statutory health insurance to include every insured person, regardless of previous illnesses, age or income. Your family is also insured. Ongoing medically necessary treatments will continue to be paid for by the new health insurance company. You will not have any losses in the context of the statutory mandatory benefits.

Statutory health insurance is bound to the Social Security Code when it comes to the design of benefits. That is why you will hardly find any differences in this area when comparing health insurance companies. The rule of thumb is that around 95% of the services are identical. These are the key points like

Treatments at the doctor

treatments in the hospital

Treatments at the dentist

benefits for children

Benefits for pregnancy and childbirth

prevention and vaccinations

Treatment of chronic diseases

remedies and aids

The most important services in statutory health insurance

The benefits of statutory health insurance are firmly anchored in the Social Security Code (SGB V) of the Federal Republic of Germany. Accordingly, it is the task of the GKV to maintain, restore and improve the health of its policyholders in the long term. The focus is on promoting the health-related competence of the insured in order to prevent serious illnesses and lasting limitations. In principle, insured persons are entitled to the following treatments

General services

medical, dental and psychotherapeutic treatment of diseases

Early detection and prevention of disease (prevention)

(Home care

rehabilitation measures

Supply of medicines and aids

As a rule, the services offered by the 109 statutory health insurance companies are identical. Only about 5 percent of the respective service catalogs contain additional services. These vary from insurance to insurance. The starting point for the introduction of additional services was the health care reform of 2012. The aim was to strengthen competition between statutory and private health insurance companies. Numerous health insurance companies now offer extensive additional services for various target groups. These include, among others

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