Brandenburg Gate, Berlin by Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0
Germany
Capital Berlin
The people who know this process cold
Facilitators, cross-border advisors, and community groups.
Not yet sourced
What the signals say about care
The normalized healthcare index, plus which programs grant local-system access.
How the system works
Statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) is mandatory for all residents. Employer and employee split a ~14.6% payroll contribution (the self-employed pay roughly €300/month), and around 90 sickness funds (Krankenkassen) administer coverage. Private insurance is available mainly to the self-employed and high earners.
What expats actually use
You enroll in a sickness fund on taking up residence. Coverage spans GP, specialists, inpatient and outpatient care, mental health, prescriptions, and preventive dental and vision — with small copays (€5–10) and no referral needed to see a specialist.
Quality and access
Quality ranks among the world's best, and waits are typically days rather than weeks. Facilities are modern and well-equipped, and mental-health care is accessible and normalized — psychotherapy is a routine part of the system.
The private market
Private insurance (~€200–600/month) exists but isn't the right fit for most; it mostly supplements the public system. Dental and vision are often paid out of pocket, and some private clinics bill insurers directly.
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