Health insurance companies pay many additional benefits

Statutory health insurance companies pay unprecedentedly many additional benefits

18/05/2011

The statutory health insurance companies assume more benefits than most insured persons suspect. Like the magazine „Finanztest“ reported, the statutory health insurance companies often pay benefits, in which the insured believe that they are to be paid on their own account.

Some statutory health insurance companies cover, for example, the costs of weight loss courses, back training, naturopathy therapies, homeopathic medical treatments, travel vaccinations and professional teeth cleansing. However, this is often unknown to insured persons and they pay the corresponding benefits out of their own pocket, reports „Finanztest“. But it is worth asking, because the insured could save some 100 euros per year with some health insurance companies if they demanded the additional benefits granted.

Reimbursement of dental cleaning and homeopathic treatments
The statutory health insurance apparently pay significantly more benefits than is generally assumed. The magazine „Finanztest“ The Stiftung Warentest has examined the offer of 93 public health insurance companies and found that the insurance companies pay for many services in which the insured assume that they are to take on their own account. For example, 40 out of the 93 insurances tested would have wholly or at least partially covered the cost of one to two professional teeth cleanings per year. In addition, 75 percent of the statutory insurance carry the information of the magazine „Finanztest“ according to the cost of homeopathic treatments and checkups. Furthermore, individual insurance companies offer special services such as weight loss or back training and reimbursement of travel vaccinations. However, most insured persons know nothing about the willingness to pay of their health insurance and take over the treatment either on own account or renounce altogether.

Insured persons pay 600 euros annually for additional medical benefits
Since they are insufficiently informed about the willingness of the health insurance, many legally insured persons pay considerably more for their health than they should, reports the journal „Finanztest“. In the past year, for example, Germans spent around € 600 per capita in addition to their health insurance contributions for medical services such as check-ups, dentures or alternative treatments. Many of the self-financed treatments, but would have been taken over by the health insurance, if the insured had reported their claims with them, writes „Finanztest“. Statutory health insurance should therefore thoroughly inform and demand additional services offered, so the conclusion of the Stiftung Warentest to the investigations of the range of services of health insurance. Sometimes the insured can save several hundred euros extra costs per year „Finanztest“. The complete results of the health insurance investigation will be published in the June issue of „Finanztest“ released. (Fp)

Also read:
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Additional contributions save health insurance companies
Doctor visit: Beware of additional services

Picture: S. Hofschlaeger