Asylum seekers; applying for sickness benefits

According to the AsylbLG, the necessary medical and dental treatment, including the provision of medicines and dressings, as well as other services required for recovery, improvement or alleviation of illnesses and the consequences of illnesses are granted in the case of acute illnesses and pain. In addition, the vaccinations recommended by the Standing Committee on Vaccination and the medically necessary preventive medical check-ups are provided for the prevention and early detection of illnesses.

In addition, other treatments may be covered in individual cases if they are essential to safeguard health.

Those entitled under the AsylbLG generally participate in the general medical care services. In principle, they have the right to a free choice of doctor. To this end, they receive a treatment voucher per quarter from the responsible local provider and can use it to visit doctors in private practice.

In the ANKERs, where asylum seekers are accommodated immediately after their arrival, the Free State of Bavaria has set up so-called medical centers in order to be able to provide curative care on site on a low-threshold basis. In addition to general medical care, the medical centers usually also include the fields of gynecology, pediatrics and, in some cases, psychiatry and psychotherapy.

If asylum seekers have been in Germany for 18 months without significant interruption and have not abusively influenced the duration of their stay themselves, they receive the same medical services as those with statutory health insurance; however, they are not members of the statutory health insurance funds.