Krankenversicherung - Health Insurance

Health insurance should be the first to settle the case to the German elections. The drugs, doctors and hospitals is very expensive, so you must ensure that the insurance would cover the cost of treatment for illness and emergencies.

Private insurance is: 
 - hiring employees, annual revenue exceeding EUR 47.700, 
 - Officer (Beamte) 
 - unincorporated business themselves. (Selbststaendige).

April 1, 2007 came into force on the German health care reform (Gesundheitsreform). Its main purpose is to extend health insurance (Krankenversicherung) of all the people who live in Germany. The basic premise is that liability insurance reform imposed from one side to the citizens, on the other hand, to fund (Krankenkassen) and private insurance. From 1 April 2007 previously uninsured people, including state insurance schemes (including in some cases, entrepreneurs -Selbstständige/Gewerbetreibende) required health insurance.

The people who are subject to compulsory health insurance, which does not report the appropriate health insurance fund, in the future must take into account the need to pay the arrears in contributions from April 1, 2007. The contribution of insurance in the state of sickness funds is around € 315 per month. People covered by this obligation to all those who already have national health insurance, even if they are in Germany only temporarily.

More pleasant solution is to buy private health insurance.

From 1 July 2007, persons belonging to a private insurance scheme, and so far rejected for various reasons, private insurance, the insurance company has the right of every private insurance. Private insurance companies accountable with time to prepare it. Standardtarife, a package of health benefits, in practice, roughly corresponding to the package of benefits guaranteed by the fund disease.

The final stage of health reform will come into force in early 2009. Since then, the obligation of health insurance will cover self-employed, so far not insured through the state insurance system.

Operates in Germany, one-person business / economic activities are encouraged to include private health insurance, which protects the financial consequences of medical intervention when necessary and suggested a lower contribution of the higher and better quality medical services.

Private health insurance offers a wider insurance, among other things, provide access to private hospitals, alternative therapies, this cost is not always covered by state insurance companies. Some private doctors will only accept insured patients. Another advantage is that private insurance companies do not expect you to participate in the cost of treatment or medication (Zusatzzahlungen) as embodied in the state system.

Several private companies offer the option to share your own (Selbstbeteiligung), which means that in the case of the disease include some medical costs for
Specifically, the annual total, in return for companies that reduce the amount of your monthly rate.

All private health insurance company is required to introduce in 2009 the basic rate. The provisions in the tariff would be equal to the state health insurance fund. Also facilitates the ability to change insurance companies. Insured will be able to take you out of the age. For people running their own businesses (Selbstständige) and higher paid employees, will remain private insurance system better and cheaper health insurance from the state.

01.01.2009 for all the people who live in Germany are required to enter health insurance. People who are not insured, but living in Germany will, by law, must take out insurance.