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Mental health treatment on public insurance
Mental health treatment on public insurance
Gabriel avatar
Written by Gabriel
Updated over 3 weeks ago

If you’re a member of a Krankenkasse (public health fund), then the costs of psychotherapy will be fully covered. However, there are a number of conditions that you should be aware of:

  • You’ll need confirmation from a psychotherapist that treatment is medically necessary. According to new measures for treating publicly insured patients that came into effect in 2018, this confirmation can only be achieved through a psychological consultation.

  • Covered conditions generally include:

    • Anxiety disorders

    • Depression

    • Eating disorders

    • Personality disorders

    • Psychosomatic disorders

    • Addiction

    • Behavior disorders

    • Compulsive disorders

    • Psychotherapeutic support may also be indicated in the case of severe physical illnesses that lead to a high level of psychological suffering.

  • You may have to deal with long waiting times before you see a therapist. Unfortunately, the supply of qualified therapists hasn’t caught up with demand in Germany. This means that the average waiting time for Krankenkasse-funded psychotherapy is around 20 weeks.

  • As a person with statutory health insurance, you should always consult a medical or psychological psychotherapist who has the appropriate license (state license for medical treatment). Unfortunately, psychotherapeutic treatment by non-medical practitioners cannot be covered by statutory health insurance. Also have in mind that public insurance generally does not cover private clinics.

    Most of public insurers offer a direct search tool to find a doctor:

Free Resources:

If you're in need of free resources unrelated to your public health policy coverage, consider these choices that offer accessible mental health support in Germany, including diverse hotlines, a nonprofit English helpline, a 24/7 online chat service, and comprehensive help for mental health challenges.

  • TelefonSeelsorge: Nonprofit with trained volunteers. English Helpline: 030-44 01 06 07

  • Open Counseling: Hotlines for various health topics in Germany

  • 7cups: Online chat service with 24/7 volunteers for listening support

  • Suizidprophylaxe.de: Offers resources and support for mental health challenges (German only)

Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with these organisations in any way

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