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.
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 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:
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.
What are the work visa requirements for Germany? How can you get a work permit visa for Germany? Find all information in our visa guide!
Finding an apartment, registering for your visa, looking for jobs and more – there’s plenty to think about when you move to Germany! But one of the most important choices you’ll make is your health insurance plan.
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