Health

If you're feeling sick, you should go and see a doctor.
If it is an emergency, call an ambulance (telephone 112) or go to the hospital.
If it is not urgent, you first go to a GP (general doctor).
In Germany this is called 'Hausarzt' or 'Hausärztin'.
The doctor can provide you with a sick note or a prescription for medicine.
A sick note is called a 'Krankenschein' and is used a proof to your employer that you cannot go to work or to your child's school that they must stay at home.
A sick note in Germany looks like this: 

You have to tell your employer or the school yourself that you or your child is sick.
You call and tell them how long you or your child have been declared sick (in German 'krankgeschrieben).
If you are registered as a jobseeker with the Jobcenter or Agentur für Arbeit, then you also have to inform them of sickness.
The doctor will write a certain length of time you are 'krankgeschrieben'.
If you are still sick at the end of this time, then go to the doctor again and they can extend it.

If the illness is more complicated, you get a referral note called an 'Überweisung' to see a specialist.
For example: if you are having heart problems, then you will receive an 'Überweisung' for a cardiologist.
A cardiologist is a doctor with expertise about the heart.
An 'Überweisung' referral looks like this: 

An Überweisung is valid for a three-month period.
It will be January to March, April to June, July to September, or October to December.
You can use the Überweisung in the three-month period it was issued, or in the following one.
For example: you get an Überweisung on May 20th. It will be valid until September 30th.
You do not need an Überweisung to see certain specialists. You can make an appointment directly with them.
This includes doctors for children (Kinderärzt*innen), women (Frauenärzt*innen) and eye doctors (Augenarzt*innen). 

Here is a list of doctors in Leipzig who speak other languages.

Here You can search for doctors online:
You write “Leipzig” at the top of the place.
In the middle, indicate whether you are looking for a general practitioner or a specific specialist.
Below is "Additional Information." There you can select a foreign language.

Unfortunately, it is often difficult to get an appointment with a doctor.
If you call a doctor's office, you may be told:
“We are not accepting new patients”
If you have called several doctor's offices and cannot get an appointment, call the patient service line.
The telephone number is 116117.
The people there will find a doctor's appointment for you.
Here is the page.

Health insurance does not pay for language mediation during a doctor’s appointment.
If you don't speak enough German, you will have to bring someone with you.
Very often people have to pay other people to do it or they try to translate via mobile phone.

There are organizations that accompany people to doctor's appointments.
You don't have to pay anything. The project is called 'Leipzig Helps Interpreting.'
If you need language mediation for a doctor’s appointment, contact here They also accompany you to other appointments, such as school, youth welfare office, lawyer appointments, etc.
Please provide the following information:  

• When is the doctor’s appointment (date and time)? 
• Where is the doctor's appointment (name and address of the doctor's office)? 
• Which language do you need?

Health insurance in Germany is quite complicated.
We explain this here very simply and generally.
There are two types of health insurance.  

1. Statutory health insurance 

2. Private health insurance 

Here we only provide information on statutory health insurance.
There are various health insurance companies that offer statutory health insurance.
For example AOK, TK, IKK, DAK

EU citizens do not need German health insurance when visiting here.
Students also do not need German health insurance.
If these people become ill, they can go to a doctor from their home country using their EHIC card.
Other people who stay here longer must have German health insurance.

If someone works more than a mini-job (i.e., they earn more than €520 per month), the money for health insurance is deducted directly from their salary. It is then shown on their payslip.
If someone only works in a mini-job, the job center can pay the money for health insurance.
The person must apply for the “citizen’s allowance” at the job center.

If you move away from Germany, you must deregister from your health insurance provider.

This page has much more information in German and other languages about health insurance for EU citizens:
https://www.eu-gleichbehandlungsstelle.de/eugs-de/eu-buerger/infothek/krankenversicherung

Because health insurance is complex and sometimes very expensive, some people have difficulty with it.
They don't even get into health insurance.
Or they had health insurance but the premiums were not paid and now they have a lot of debt.
The card has been blocked by the health insurance company.

There is also help for such people in Leipzig.
You can go to the organization CABL.
CABL helps people without health insurance and with problems related to health insurance.
For people without health insurance, CABL organizes medical assistance: If a person needs to see a doctor as an outpatient, they will receive a free referral.
The service is anonymous and confidential. CABL staff do not share patient information with the social welfare office or immigration authorities.
You don't have to pay anything.
Here is the website of CABL.

There are also the polyclinic in Leipzig.
They do not provide medical treatment but have a lot of information about the health system in Germany.
The polyclinic can also organize a translation.
There are also activities such as yoga, art and self-help groups.

You buy medicines at a pharmacy.
For minor issues like a sore throat or fever, you can get medication directly from the pharmacy.
If you need stronger medication, you must bring a prescription from your doctor to the pharmacy.
Even if you have health insurance, you will still have to pay something for the medication.
This means “co-payment”.

You have to pay a maximum of 10 euros per medication.
There is no co-payment for medication for children up to 18 years of age.
If you have to buy medication very often, you can apply for an exemption from co-payments.
You do not have to pay more than 21% of your gross income per year.
For people with chronic diseases the limit is 1%.
In such cases, it is important that you keep your medication receipts. 

• KuGeL – Information on the health system 

The Project KuGeL organizes events in Leipzig in various languages.
The events provide migrants with information about their health and the German health system.

• Your rights as a patient 

There is the “Independent Patient Advice Germany” (UPD) for health issues.
For example: What are my rights as a patient? How do I get sick pay? What vaccinations do I need?
You can call them and get information on these and other questions.
The consulting services is currently available in German, Arabic, Russian and Turkish.

There are specific offers for the following groups. Counseling is free of charge.
For such offers, there is usually a language mediator if you don't speak much German.

• pregnancy 

Pregnant people can go to a “pregnancy advice center.”
There they receive information about their health and where financial assistance is available.
Here These counseling centers are listed and there is a checklist of everything that is necessary before and after the birth.

• disability 

For people with disabilities, there is the EUTB (supplementary independent participation advice).
The EUTB helps people, for example, with an application for a severely disabled person's ID card or with finding a job as a person with a disability.
There are these 3 in Leipzig:
http://www.leben-mit-handicaps.de/
https://offenerdialog-ev.de/teilhabeberatung/
https://leipzig-und-autismus.de/beratung/

• Mental illnesses 

The St. Georg Hospital offers Counseling on psychosocial issues.
It is open to all migrants in Leipzig and the people there can organize language mediation.

• Sexuality, HIV and sexual health

At the organisation AIDS Help Leipzig (aidshilfe Leipzig) you can get free, anonymous counseling on these topics. They test for HIV (€20), syphilis (€15), hepatitis C (€15), chlamydia (€35), and gonorrhea (€35). Queer-friendly, and interpreting in other languages is available but it's best to register in advance.

Sexual health advice and free HIV testing are available at the Gesundheitsamt: Leipzig Health Department.

For sex workers, the Health Department (Gesundheitsamt) additional specialised supports are available, such as tests, vaccinations and advice. You can remain anonymous, and their help is free of charge. The Gesundheitsamt can also arrange an interpreter.