When you go moving to Germany it is nice to know that the health care in the country is very well organized. Your Dutch health insurance is no longer valid when you emigrate. Do you want to know more about the German health care? Then read on.
The German health insurance: Krankenkasse
When you are going to emigrate to Germany there is one thing you do not have to worry about and that is health care. The quality of health care in Germany is of a high standard and there are also no long waiting lists.
In Germany they have two types of health insurance. One is the public health insurance. In German also called 'gesetzliche krankenversicherung'.
The second is a private health insurance. In German also called 'private krankenversicherung'. The Krankenkasse is the institution in Germany that arranges your health insurance, so actually just a health insurer. This also collects the premiums from your employer that are deducted from your salary.
This agency also ensures that you receive benefits if you are sick for more than 6 weeks. You will then receive 70% from your salary.
Health insurance
When you are registered in Germany you are also obliged to be insured in Germany. As explained earlier, the Krankenkasse in Germany is the institution that arranges your health care costs.
Public health insurance
If you work in Germany and your income is below a certain income threshold, you must take out public health insurance. This is required by the German government. You can choose which health insurance fund (krankenkasse) you take out your insurance with.
How is public health insurance paid for?
You are required to be insured through your employer. This employer then deducts a premium from your salary. This premium has a maximum, but is therefore dependent on your income. Your employer must also pay a portion of this premium.
What does the German public health insurance cover?
The German health insurance reimburses various things. Think of possible visits to the family doctor, admissions and treatments in public hospitals, possible medicines. Dental care is also insured up to a certain maximum amount.
Private health insurance Germany
If you are above the income limit or are self-employed, you can choose between public or private insurance. Once you have chosen private insurance, it means that you can no longer easily choose public insurance again. That is why people take that step less easily.
Private insurance in Germany has extensive coverage. You often no longer have to pay a personal contribution for your treatments. Unfortunately, the premiums for private insurance are a lot higher.
The premium for this insurance is determined by looking at your age and your health. What is also quite special for us Dutch, is that a health insurer in Germany can also simply refuse you.
You can also choose to take out additional private insurance in addition to your public health insurance.
Dutch health insurance
If you still live in the Netherlands, you are of course insured with a Dutch health insurer. Once you live in Germany, you must of course take out German health insurance.
During holidays you are of course still insured with your European Insurance Card (EHIC), but you are going to live abroad and therefore have other obligations. You must therefore insure yourself well if you want to be entitled to medical care.
EHIC card
As explained earlier, you can use your EHIC card during holidays in Europe for medical care and you do not need to take out extra insurance for this. But again, you are now moving to another country and you are obliged to take out insurance in your new country of residence.
General Practitioners in Germany
In Germany, you also want to be able to go to a general practitioner. You can register with a general practitioner to then be able to go there for all kinds of ailments. It is also the general practitioner who refers you to a medical specialist when necessary.
In Germany, you can't just call in sick at work. If you're sick for more than two days, you need an 'Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung'. This is a kind of certificate from your family doctor for your employer. You need this certificate to continue to receive pay while you're sick. If you don't hand this in to your employer, he doesn't have to pay you.
A Dutch pension in Germany
Do you receive a pension in the Netherlands or do you expect to receive one soon? Then it is wise to contact the Social Insurance Bank about this.
