Health insurance differences

AOK

The AOK offers additional benefits in the form of so-called health accounts (Gesundheitskonten). These include freely selectable benefits that are available to the insured during the period of a calendar year. Each insured person is offered a certain amount of money, the amount of which is reimbursed. Depending on the federal state, the health accounts can vary:

• AOK Baden-Württemberg: The AOK Baden-Württemberg offers two types of health accounts - a general health account and a health account for pregnant women. The former offers €150 per calendar year for services such as osteopathy, foreign vaccinations and homeopathic medicines. With a maximum of 250€ per year, the latter includes a midwife on-call service and a flat rate for prenatal care, which can be used for ultrasound examinations, an accompanying person for the birth preparation course, infant care course as well as relaxation and exercise courses. 
• AOK Bayern: The health account "Mehr Vorsorge für mich" of the AOK Bayern. offers extended benefits up to 250€ per year. This is replenished every calendar year with 100€ for extended services and 150€ for health courses. These benefits include preventive medical check-ups for women over 25, pregnant women and their partners, travel vaccinations, homeopathic medicines and health courses. Depending on the service, the total costs or up to 80% will be reimbursed.
• AOK Bremen/Bremerhaven: At the beginning of 2017, AOK Bremen/Bremerhaven increased its offer of "300€ PLUS" to "500€ PLUS". Costs for osteopathy, homeopathy, vaccinations, dental cleaning etc. will be covered. New, for example, is the streptococcus test for pregnant women and special services for children.
• AOK Hessen: With the AOK Hessen, 400€ for eight different auxiliary services are made available annually- “Check-up 35” already starts at 25 years old, skin cancer Screening, Homeopathie, laughing gas sedation by removal of wisdom teeth, Mamma Care, Osteopathie, travel protection vaccinations, tooth sealing.
• AOK Niedersachsen: Customers benefit from additional services worth 250€ per year for two dental cleanings, skin cancer screening, osteopathy, travel vaccinations, etc. Only the original invoices must be submitted to AOK Niedersachsen for reimbursement. 80% of the invoice amount will be refunded. 
• AOK Nordost: Customers are entitled to €270 per year for health courses, homeopathic medicines, baby swimming, birth preparation courses and many other additional services. The application for reimbursement must be submitted to AOK Nordost (Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) by 31 March of the following year, including the invoice or proof of payment.
• AOK NORDWEST: For pregnant women a refund of 100€ is offered for various preventive medical examinations.In addition, 80% of the annual costs for a maximum of four osteopathic treatments (max. 40€ per session) will be covered. The same applies to natural remedies up to a maximum of 150€ per year.
• AOK PLUS: A subsidy of 150€ for prenatal non-invasive supplementary examinations is available from AOK PLUS or all expectant mothers. 
• AOK Rheinland-Pfalz/Saarland: The AOK Rheinland-Pfalz/Saarland also offers its customers a health account with a special budget of 250€ per calendar year. For Osteopathy, homeopathische treatment and medications, natural medicaments, travel protection vaccinations, skin cancer early recognition, sport medical examinations as well as additional services for pregnant woman up to 80% of the invoice amount are refunded.
• AOK Rheinland/Hamburg: For special treatment methods, extended vaccinations, extended early detection examinations, professional dental cleaning, sports medical examinations, ophthalmological examinations for children up to seven years of age as well as extended services for families and pregnant women, AOK Rheinland/Hamburg provides € 125 per calendar year.
• AOK Sachsen-Anhalt: Last but not least, the additional services provided by AOK Sachsen-Anhalt should also be mentioned: For preventive medical check-ups 500€ per year are refunded, for hearing aids up to 800€ in five years, for vaccinations up to 300€ in two years, etc.. In addition, up to €1,000 (equivalent to 80% of the costs) are reimbursed annually for medical treatment by alternative practitioners and doctors. On top of this, special dental services and the AOK-ZahnPRIVAT tariff are also two attractive solutions for your dental needs.

BARMER

All BARMER services are listed in alphabetical order. The most important additional services include the following:

• Skin check: Every two years you can have your skin checked free of charge; free skin cancer screening is possible from the age of 35.
• Cancer screening: All women aged 20 and over and men aged 45 and over can undergo annual cancer screening.
• Pregnancy: BARMER covers the costs for medical care during the entire pregnancy.
• Household help: For up to 26 weeks, BARMER provides support for shopping, cooking, cleaning and, in particular, childcare if you are ill and therefore unable to run the household.
• Artificial insemination: BARMER contributes to the costs of artificial insemination and pays 50% of these costs.
• Vaccinations: For many vaccinations BARMER bears the costs, for travel vaccinations there is a subsidy of 100€.
• Free choice of hospital: BARMER covers all costs for general services in connection with full pension treatment in a contracted hospital. In addition, as an insured person you are free to choose from all contracted hospitals.
• Midwife on-call service: The health insurance company also reimburses the agreed costs for a contract midwife, and the midwife on-call service is also subsidised. Costs of a maximum of 200€ per pregnancy are covered.
• Contraception: For young women up to the age of 20, BARMER covers the costs of medical advice, examinations and certain contraceptives.

BIG Direkt

In contrast to many other health insurance companies, BIG Direkt sets a contribution rate of 15.6% for private additional services that are subject to a charge. The following additional benefits are included:

• Comprehensive travel vaccinations and provision for the future
• Professional tooth cleaning
• Up to 240€ subsidy per year for prevention courses
• Up to 160€ per year for Osteopathy
• Up to 360€ for homeopathy
• 200€ baby bonus for newborns
• Assumption of up to 250€ for the midwife on-call service
• Burnout program
• Free U10/U11 examinations and rotavirus vaccination for children
• Exclusive benefits with the online fitness programs from GYMONDO, Sophia Thiel and “Mach dich krass”

DAK

The DAK offers its customers a wide range of services that make it a worthwhile alternative to other health insurance companies:

• Prevention: The DAK subsidises two prevention courses a year and pays 80%, i.e. a maximum of €75. Prerequisites for this are participation in at least 80% of the course dates and the choice of two courses from different subject areas.
• Chronic illnesses: For the chronically ill, there are special health programmes called Disease Management Programme (DMP) - currently almost 700,000 DAK insured take part.
• Pregnancy and childbirth: As a health insurance company that focuses primarily on families, the DAK offers many additional benefits for pregnant women. For example, there is an extra €100 for nine different Plus-services, paid birth preparation courses and postnatal gymnastics, etc. The DAK parent counselling serviceis available for some time after birth.
• Artificial insemination: The DAK also covers 100% of the costs of artificial insemination if both partners are insured by the health insurance company.
• Vaccinations: For greater clarity, the DAK has drawn up a list of vaccinations that are paid for by the health insurance company.
• Dental services: This overview shows which treatment options and preventive medical check-ups the DAK pays for.

The following DAK-specific services are of particular interest to students:

• Obtaining medical advice via DAK doctor video chat
• Secure up to 135€ with the AktivBonus bonus program
• Profit from up to 100% assumption of costs for dental prostheses
• Those who are healthy and fit get their money back thanks to certain optional tariffs
• Thanks to the international health insurance everything runs smoothly on every journey
• In case of illness abroad, the DAK-EuropaService will help you
• DAK Plus Reise" offers additional travel protection at a reasonable price.
• Search engines such as the doctor finder or clinic finder lead to the best treatment
• Care management acts as a personal health advisor
• The youth portal provides useful information about studying
• Who recruits further customers, receives a premium at a value of 25€

TK

The additional services provided by TK are laid down in its statutes and include household help, homeopathy, preventive medical check-ups, prevention courses and health seminars as well as home nursing.

• Alternative healing methods: The TK assumes the costs for initial homeopathic anamnesis, in addition there can be follow-up anamnesis as well as shorter consultations. Medicines from the fields of homeopathy,
• Domestic help: TK also contributes to the costs of domestic help if a child under the age of 14 lives in the household.
• Health check: From the age of 35, insured persons can have a comprehensive check-up carried out, which also includes early detection of cancer. From the age of 20, the costs for skin cancer examinations are also covered every two years.
• Vaccinations: The TK assumes the costs for all vaccinations recommended by the Standing Vaccination Commission. In addition, the health insurance company covers the costs for travel vaccinations such as cholera, TBE, hepatitis A and B, malaria, etc.
• Sport medical examination: Heart, circulation and musculoskeletal system are examined, with the TK subsidising up to 80% (max. 120€) for it every two years.
• Midwife on-call duty: In the last weeks of pregnancy, expectant mothers can arrange on-call duty with a midwife. The costs for this are covered by the TK up to an amount of 250€.
• Artificial insemination: Married couples who are insured with TK receive up to 50% of the costs for artificial insemination. In addition, there is a subsidy per treatment attempt for a maximum of three attempts up to a maximum of 250€ per attempt.