The public healthcare system in Germany allows everyone to access the same basic level of care. While you can choose which doctor you see, you can only access the full range of doctors if you have private health insurance.
If you need to see a doctor for a routine appointment or in relation to a non-urgent issue, you should look for a Hausarzt or Allgemeinarzt. These are equivalent to a family physician in the US or a GP in the UK and can give you a referral to see a specialist if needed.
If you have public health insurance, you need to find a Kassenarzt – a doctor who accepts patients with public health insurance. The National Association of Public Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) offers an online tool (in German only) to help this search.
You can ask your health insurance provider for a list of recommended doctors to be save. Also you can search local doctors on the internet by searching "Hausarzt". Sometimes it helps to enter your postcode as well.
All doctors accept patients with private health insurance and usually give them priority. You can contact your insurance provider to obtain a list of suitable doctors near you. With ottonova, you can also use our digital Concierge service.
If you suddenly don't feel well you go to the nearest doctor's office, but there you are told that before you can be treated by a specialist you need a referral from your family doctor. If you had registered with a GP before this, there would have been less problems. In Germany, a family doctor is needed if you want access to all the doctors you need or if you have a medical emergency. They know your medical records and can send you to the right specialist if needed. So if you want to be well covered regarding your health care in Germany, it is important to find a suitable family doctor in Germany.
Family Doctors can also be called "Hausarzt". You can find them the same way as other doctors for example via the Internet. During the first appointment, the doctor likes to know the full history of any patient before they decide the way of treatment.
If you opt for private medical insurance, you will be able to choose from all the doctors in your area. This makes it more likely you will find a doctor who speaks English – in fact, most have a decent command of the language.
It also means you can choose between different levels of doctor:
If you need to see a specialist you most likely need to get a GP first. With some private health insurances allows you to make an appointment with a specialist right away. If you need more information about that ask your health insurance provider.
How to make an appointment with a doctor in Germany
There are a few options to make an appointment with a doctor in Germany. You can do it by telephone or also in person - the first person you will talk to is the doctor's assistant and request a day and time. With some doctors, there is also the possibility to make an appointment online or per E-Mail.
If it's urgent to get an appointment some doctors offers walk-in appointsments called "Sprechzeiten". But the waiting time could be several hours.
Reminder: Always bring your health insurance card to all doctor appointments!
In addition to being able to choose the right doctor for you, private health insurance holders also benefit from
Private insurance is often more affordable in Germany than elsewhere. At ottonova, we have a range of special expat tariffs that offer excellent coverage and benefits.
Of course! Through our ottonova Concierge Service we can book appointments for you. You just easily write us a message with your requirements, and we will find the best option for you.
As a private patient with ottonova you can go to any doctor of your choice. For dental treatments i.e implants or crowns (Zahnersatz) we provide a higher coverage if you choose a dentist from our ottonova network.
The payment is different than in the public system. With private health insurance you pay the full tariff to us at the beginning of the month. If you are employed your employer will contribute their part to your health insurance through your salary.
At the moment we do not offer any money back if you don´t make usage of the insurance, as we want you to go and have your annual check-ups.
However, we offer reward points via our Health X program. Read more about Health X here.
We help you to find the best tariff and we speak English.
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