Submit my medical invoices

Learn how to submit your medical bills for reimbursement here.

Home Living in Germany Submit medical invoices to get reimbursed

How do I submit my medical invoices to get reimbursed?

In China, treatment costs are usually paid directly to the doctor or in the hospital. In Germany, the way in which treatment costs are paid depends on whether you have statutory or private health insurance. Statutory health insurance providers settle the costs directly with the doctor or hospital. This means you will not receive an invoice. On the other hand, private health insurance providers invoice you as the insured person. This means that you will be sent an invoice after receiving treatment or seeing a doctor. You can submit this invoice to your health insurance provider when you receive it. Your provider will check the invoice to see if it is a treatment cost covered by your policy.

The approved amount will be transferred to your account within a maximum of two to three weeks. Private health insurance providers usually credit smaller amounts to your account on the same day.

Doctor/hospital visit
You receive the invoice
You pay the invoice within the specified period
You submit the invoice to your health insurance provider
The amount of the insured treatment costs will be transferred to your account
Note: Only invoices from generally accredited and recognised medical practitioners are accepted

What happens if I am admitted to hospital as an in-patient?

If you are treated as an in-patient in a hospital (which means that you have to stay overnight), you must inform your health insurance provider. The provider will then contact the hospital to determine whether or not the costs will be covered. In this case, the treatment costs are settled directly between the provider and the hospital. As the customer, you do not receive an invoice.

How long do I have to submit my invoice to my health insurance provider?

As a rule, you should submit your invoice to your health insurance provider immediately after receiving it, so that it can be processed as quickly as possible and the approved amount can be credited back to you. The time limit for submitting invoices is usually three years.

What happens if part of the invoice is not covered?

If your insurance does not cover some of the costs on the invoice, a partial amount representing the insured treatment costs will be transferred to your account. In general, all medically necessary treatments will be covered by your insurance. Things that are not covered generally include additional services such as preventive screenings, birth control, dental hygiene appointments, visual aids and medications purchased at a pharmacy that were not prescribed by a doctor.

What if I have paid my invoice in a different currency?

In this case, the daily exchange rate for that currency will be used to convert the amount, and the equivalent amount in euros will be transferred to your account.

Can I send the invoice to my health insurance provider by email?

Most health insurance providers allow you to send invoices to them by email, which is a quick and convenient method. This means that the health insurance provider will receive the invoice on the same day and it will be processed more quickly so that the approved amount can be transferred to your account.

Do I have to keep invoices?

Yes, we do recommend keeping your invoices over the long term. This means you won’t run into any problems if your health insurance provider needs information about an invoice again or has any other questions about it. However, in most cases, your health insurance provider will not ask you any more questions about an invoice once it has been submitted and reimbursed successfully.

I’ve lost my invoice – what do I do?

If you have lost an invoice, please contact your doctor or the hospital and ask them to send you another copy of the invoice. You can then submit this to your health insurance provider as normal. Without an official invoice, your health insurance provider will not be able to reimburse you.

If you have any further questions regarding medical invoices and how you are reimbursed for them, please do not hesitate to contact our customer service team.

They will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Am I still insured by my German health insurance provider if I go on holiday abroad?

If you are studying in Germany and have taken out a health insurance policy, this will still provide you with some cover if you go abroad. Find out everything you need to know here.

How do I extend my visa or apply for a residence permit in Germany?

You can extend your visa or apply for a residence permit at the foreigners’ registration office where you live. Find out everything you need to consider here.

What do I need to know about health insurance if I get a job while I’m studying?

You’re free to earn money by getting a job alongside your studies. Here, you can find out more about the most important points you need to consider.

Who do I contact if I have questions about the healthcare system?

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact our customer service team. We speak German, English and Chinese. Please also feel free to send us an email. You can find our contact info here.