Do you want a baby, but pregnancy doesn’t work out naturally? You are not alone in this fate. About every sixth couple in Germany has an unfulfilled desire to have children. With medical help, it may be possible to become parents after all. Unfortunately, such fertility treatment is accompanied not only by psychological and physical strains, but also by great financial burdens.
Stiftung Warentest has checked which subsidies are available from statutory health insurance companies and other bodies for artificial insemination. Good news: Most couples receive at least part of the financial help from various agencies in order to reduce the costs of often several thousand euros for fertility treatment. More and more federal states are now also helping lesbian couples, and a health insurance company also gives subsidies here. With us you will find all the details.
That is why the examination for artificial insemination is worthwhile for you
- test results. The tables from Stiftung Warentest show which subsidies individual statutory health insurance companies grant in addition to the statutory standard for fertility treatment. 39 of the 71 statutory health insurance companies from our monthly long-term test pay an extra subsidy as an additional statutory benefit.
- Tip for cash register selection. A single regional insurance company even covers 100 percent of the costs of the treatment plan if both spouses belong to this health insurance company for the time of the treatment.
- achievements of the countries. We show which services are available for artificial insemination in the individual federal states for married and unmarried, opposite-sex and lesbian couples.
- methods. You will find an overview of the various options for medical treatment of an unfulfilled desire to have children and an estimate of the associated costs.
- Magazine article as PDF. After activation, you will receive the magazine article from Finanztest 12/22 for download.
Statutory allowance for married couples
Married couples who have statutory health insurance are generally reimbursed half of the approved treatment costs for artificial insemination. Requirement: Women and men must not be younger than 25 years and not older than 39 or 49 years old.
All statutory health insurers have to pay for a set number of treatments, such as the first three attempts at in vitro fertilization, in which the egg cell is fertilized in a test tube and then placed in the uterus. Only opposite-sex couples receive grants, homosexual couples get nothing.
Whether private health insurers pay for fertility treatment depends, among other things, on the respective tariff. However, they often bear the full costs.
Treatment plan in advance is important
Before treatment begins, those with statutory health insurance must submit a treatment plan to their health insurance company and have it approved. If spouses are members of different health insurance companies, each insurance company will cover the costs for the partner who is insured with it.
Subsidy mostly non-transferrable
Normally, the extra benefit applies per insured person. If both spouses are insured with a health insurance fund, each receives the subsidy for his or her treatment costs. Important: The subsidy is usually not transferable. For example, if the man needs less of his extra, he cannot make the remainder available to his wife.
16 insurers only pay the sum per married couple – regardless of who incurs the treatment costs. If a woman and a man are members there, it can be disadvantageous if both incur treatment costs. Three health insurance companies increase the subsidy if both spouses are insured there.
Tip: If you would like to change your insurance company because of an extra subsidy for fertility treatment, ask your desired insurer in advance whether the extra subsidy will continue to be offered, at least for the time being. Also pay attention to the contribution rate and other extra services such as check-ups and tooth cleaning. You can also save money with them.
How to get grants for fertility treatment
involve the tax office
Those affected can claim the treatment costs of artificial insemination in their tax return as “extraordinary expenses”. With our calculator for extraordinary burdens, you can estimate in advance what this will bring you financially.
