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Emergency

No doctor's appointment? Use the health insurer's appointment service

Anyone who has to wait a long time for a specialist appointment is not powerless. The appointment service centers of the Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians arrange appointments with specialists and psychotherapists for people with statutory insurance within certain deadlines, reachable via the number 116117.

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Your chances of getting your money back

People with statutory insurance have a claim to the arranging of treatment appointments through the appointment service center (§ 75 SGB V). In case of urgent indication, an appointment should be arranged within a reasonable deadline.
If no timely arrangement with the specialist succeeds, treatment in a hospital may under certain circumstances be arranged. The appointment service center is reachable around the clock via 116117.

What you should do now

  1. 1

    1. Check the referral

    For many specialties, have a referral with an urgency code ready.

  2. 2

    2. Contact 116117

    Contact the appointment service center by phone or online.

  3. 3

    3. Accept the appointment

    Take up the arranged appointment; it can also be somewhat further away.

  4. 4

    4. Follow up in case of problems

    If the arrangement does not work, turn to your health insurer.

How to spot the scam

  • A required referral with an urgency code is missing.
  • Acute emergencies are handled via the appointment service instead of the emergency number 112.
  • Arranged appointments are declined without a valid reason.

Frequently asked questions

What does the appointment service center do?

It arranges appointments with specialists and psychotherapists for people with statutory insurance when the waiting time is too long (§ 75 SGB V). It is reachable nationwide under 116117, by phone and online. For some specialties, a referral with an urgency code is needed.

How quickly do I get an appointment?

In case of an urgent indication, an appointment should be arranged within a reasonable deadline. There is no fixed number of days for all cases. If no timely specialist arrangement succeeds, a hospital can step in in suitable cases.

What about an emergency?

In case of an acute, life-threatening emergency, dial the emergency number 112. The 116117 is intended for urgent but not life-threatening cases and for arranging appointments. This way you end up at the right place in each case.

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General information for self-help, not legal advice (RDG). In case of a high loss or uncertainty: contact a consumer advice center or a lawyer.