Health in the best of hands aok.de/hessen

At home in GermanyBenefits and services for health and nursing insurance are a part of life

If you have questions about your insurance, you can reach us toll-free at:

0800 724 22 06

0800 724 22 05

0800 123 23 19

Service hours:Monday to Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PMThursday, 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM

0800 00 00 255 (free of charge)

Available for you around the clock every day

service@he.aok.de

aok.de/hessen

aok.de/hessen/mitglied-werden

Questions? We are happy to be here for you!

Urheberrecht: wdv Gesellschaft für Medien & Kommunikation mbH & Co. OHG, Siemensstr. 6, 61352 Bad Homburg. Fotos: AOK; F1online; wdv OHG. Stand: 01/2018, Bestell-Nr.: 048/178.

Informationen in englischer Sprache.

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Bring your questions about health and nursinginsurance to us, a strong partner in the healthfield.

This booklet provides a brief initial insight into theGerman insurance system and our range ofbenefits and services.

Would you like to talk to us personally? We arehere for you. See the back to find out how youcan reach us best.

Contents

Social insuranceHealthy in Germany 4

Your health insuranceStatutory insurance 6

Our servicesTrust a strong partner – AOK 8

Our extrasExtra points for your health 10We accompany you through life 12

How to reach usSimple and straightforward 14

Important addressesImmigration as an opportunity 15

Get a good start on your new life here in Germany. We are here for you.

We are here for you!

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The social security system in Germany meansthat, as an employee, you are in good hands in the case of, for example, sickness, workaccidents, unemployment, and when you retire.This is because you automatically receive fiveinsurance policies:

Statutory health insurance pays the cost of visits to the doctor as well as for manypharmaceuticals and therapies.

Statutory nursing insurance provides basicsecurity in the event that you are must be caredfor permanently as a result of sickness. This ismostly the concern of older people.

Statutory pension insurance pays workers apension after they have gone into retirement.The amount of the pension is based mainly onthe income and the number of years that aperson has worked in Germany.

Statutory accident insurance pays the costsfor medical treatment and reintegration intoworking life after an accident at work or forwork-related diseases.

Statutory unemployment insurance providesthe unemployed with an income for a certaintime if they have been generally insured for atleast one year over the last two years and arelooking for work again. Furthermore, the FederalLabour Agency supports everyone who islooking for work by providing consulting andplacement services.

Human dignity is inviolable

The foundation for getting along well in Germany

The German constitution is called the “Grundgesetz”. It is superordinate to all otherGerman legal standards.

The Grundgesetz defines valuesand standards upon which thepolitical system in this country isbased.

Article 1 has particular importance:“Human dignity is inviolable. Torespect and protect it is the duty ofall state authorities.”

Social insurance

Healthy in GermanyGermany has a well-developed social security system. As an employee subject to social insurance contributions,you are therefore generally insured against major risks.

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EmployeesHealth insurance is a so-called statutoryinsurance. Coverage always begins on the dateemployment in Germany is started.

Higher earnersIf the income is above a certain amount, statutoryinsurance is no longer valid. You can thenvoluntarily insure yourself with AOK. Yourinsurance coverage remains the same.

Special feature in Germany Employers and employees share the premium.The employer transfers the total premium directlyto AOK. So you do not need to worry aboutanything.

Self-employedForeign self-employed persons who are active inGermany can also choose AOK. This applies tocitizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland.Foreigners from countries outside the EU whoseresidence permit allows self-employment alsohave this option. The premium depends onneither health nor age, but solely on income.

No waitingYou are entitled to benefits with the first day ofmembership.

Receiving benefitsYou receive benefits from AOK by visiting a doctoror hospital and presenting the AOK healthinsurance card.

Your health insurance

Statutory insuranceEmployees and trainees in Germany are always insuredwith statutory health insurance (GKV).

Family includedFamily members (a spouse or children) withouttheir own income can be included in thecoverage without any extra costs. The premiumfor the member stays the same no matter howmany family members are insured.

All family members included in the coveragereceive their own AOK health insurance card,which must be presented before treatment inmedical practices and hospitals.

The costs are then settled directly with AOK.

A spouse and children living abroad can beincluded in insurance coverage for free undercertain conditions.

We would be happy to advise you.

To ensure that your family can be included ininsurance coverage for free without limits, AOKchecks once a year whether the conditions arestill fulfilled.

If there are changes within your family, such asthe birth of another child, you should inform usimmediately so that insurance protection is stillguaranteed.

University students If you want to register to study at a university inGermany, you need an insurance certificate froma health insurer or a certificate stating that you areexempt from compulsory insurance in statutoryhealth insurance. You can obtain these certificatesfrom us.

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SizeMore than 1.6 million policyholders throughoutHessen put their trust in us. In everything we do,we act quality- and cost-consciously. This is whyAOK Hessen is financially sound and reliable, withvery attractive services.

Our services and benefits focus on the mostimportant thing: your health!

Quality When you are sick, you first and foremost want to be healthy again. Trust in the treatment isnecessarily a part of this. But trust is possible onlyif you can rely on quality.

We are committed that AOK-insured personsreceive optimum treatment and care. Lawmakersin Germany support us in this claim.

Our partners – such as doctors and hospitals – arecommitted to ensuring and developing thequality of their services. All services must satisfythe highest level of scientific knowledge andmust be provided with professional quality.

Prevention Early screening can uncover many diseases thathave not yet caused any physical ailments. Faster,gentler treatment and healing are then oftenpossible.

Prevention means avoiding risks that can lead todisease. Therefore, AOK-insured persons can availthemselves of various health examinations.

Our services

Important documents and certificates concerning social security

The electronic health card is your key to comprehensive services fromdoctors and in the hospital. Yourinsurance data is stored on the card’schip.

The social security card is issued bythe responsible social securityinstitution. We would be happy to takecare of this for you by recording yourdata and passing it on. The card alsocontains your personal social securitynumber, which you submit to youremployer.

Your doctor enters all the vaccinationsthat you receive in your vaccinationrecords.

With the “bonus booklet”, we reward patients who routinely care fortheir teeth and go to check-ups at thedentist. This is because we pay higherbenefits for services related todentures. The dentist confirms yourcheck-ups in the bonus booklet.

The maternity card documents theprogress of your pregnancy andcontains all important Information thata doctor may require in an emergency,such as blood type, medical history orinformation about the fetus.

Furthermore, we support you with measures thatfoster your health and prevent or delay sicknesses.For example, you can visit our health courses forsports, relaxation and nutrition.

Trust a strong partner – AOK With us, your health is in good hands. With numerousprevention and extra services, we help our customersstay healthy or get well quickly.

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Make your own decisionsWith the optional tariffs of AOK Hessen, youbenefit from expanded services and save realmoney.

Travel insurance or additional dental insurance –what you want helps decide. We offer valuablebenefits with our bonus programs and thedeductible tariff – up to 360 euros per year.

Family in the focusIn many cases, children are insured free of chargeeven after they turn 18, such as when they studyat university. Benefit from numerous extra servicesfor pregnancies and childbirth. Furthermore, withthe AOK Baby Phone and drug counseling forpregnant women, you are always well informed.

Get more benefitsWith the personal AOK Health Account, 400 eurosper year is available for certain health services to everyone insured at AOK. If you want, thismoney can be used to take advantage ofadditional benefits that are even better for you.

Each of your AOK-insured family members alsohas a private Health Account. A family of fourthus can receive up to 1,600 euros a year forspecial health services.

Medical information Our independent team of doctors from AOKClarimedis is available around the clock every dayfor questions about therapies, medicine packageinserts or diagnoses.

Certainty for important decisionsIn case of serious illness, we offer our policyholdersthe opportunity to obtain a second medicalopinion.

Good careYour usual daily activities change if you have totake care of a family member. AOK care advisorscome to your home and discuss with you whathas to be done.

Optimal orientationAOK health navigators help you find a doctor orhospital, a nursing home or a nursing service inyour area.

aok-gesundheitsnavi.de

Our extras

Plus points for your healthIn addition to our statutory services, we have many other benefitsfor AOK policyholders. We are especially happy to help families.

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Hofgeismar

KasselBad Arolsen

Korbach

Bad Wildungen

Homberg/EfzeRotenburg

Eschwege

Bad HersfeldSchwalmstadt

StadtallendorfAlsfeld

LauterbachHünfeld

Frankenberg

Biedenkopf

MarburgDillenburg

WetzlarGießen

Grünberg

Weilburg

LimburgNidda Schlüchtern

Büdingen

GelnhausenBad Homburg

Hofheim FrankfurtHanau

OffenbachRodgau-Jügesheim

Rüsselsheim

Wiesbaden

DarmstadtHöchst

BensheimBürstadt Erbach

Dieburg

Fulda

Friedberg

IdsteinBad Schwalbach

Groß-Gerau

Mainz-KastelRüdesheim Dreieich-Sprendlingen

Fostering healthDo something good for your health. Our special health courses can help. Sports or inner well-being: we provide you with manypossibilities.

AOK live online courses are ideal for people with a lot to do because they can participate fromhome. In addition, we refund the costs of certifiedexternal prevention courses.

Our extras

AOK Consulting Center

AOK Student Service

You can contact us when you need us. In your neighborhood in all of Hessen or by phone. We are available around the clock online.

We are here for youWhether you want to talk to us in person, byphone or online – we are navigators in healthcare,as well as your partner and a conscientiouscompanion.

For more information, including on our services,go to aok.de/hessen

We accompany you through lifeOur individual services for a balanced and relaxed life have received many awards.

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AdviceWe can advise you personally – even in yourhome.

Documents on the InternetYou can conveniently download the documentsfor an AOK membership, fill them out and returnthem to us.

aok.de/hessen/mitglied-werdenVarious languages are available

How to reach us Important addresses

Simple and straightforwardOnce you become a member of AOK, your insurance coverage begins on the first day of your employment.

Immigration as an opportunityGermany is the most populous nation in the European Union, a modern, cosmopolitan country. When compared with othercountries, it has the highest approval for its integration policy.

Members recommend membersTell your friends, colleagues and relatives about AOK. For every recommendation that leads to a membership, you will receive20 euros. For more information, go to aok.de/hessen/empfehlen or talk to us.

To remain competitive, Germany needs skilledworkers from abroad.

Learn German and moreTo be able to communicate in private andprofessional life and get to know other people,you have to learn German as soon as possible.

In an integration course, you will not onlybecome familiar with the language, but also withGerman culture and the legal system.

More information is available here:Auswärtiges Amt (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Here you can find information about visarequirements, a list of countries that require visaswhen entering Germany, as well as applicationsand forms.

auswaertiges-amt.de

Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge(Federal Office for Migration and Refugees)

From entry requirements to integration courses –here you can find things to know about your newstart in Germany.

bamf.de

Berufliche Anerkennung in Deutschland(Professional Recognition in Germany)

Find out how and where you can have yourforeign vocational education be recognized.

anerkennung-in-deutschland.de

Bundesministerium des Inneren (Ministry of the Interior)

News about immigration, residency rights andintegration:

bmi.bund.de

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie(Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy)

The welcome portal for international professionalswill help you to quickly find your way in your newhome:

make-it-in-germany.com/en

Volkshochschulen (community colleges)

The online sites of community colleges provideinteresting information about further education, – such as for language and integration courses for immigrants:

vhs-in-hessen.de