Unveiling the top free preventive health tests – offered by your Krankenkasse!

Early detection: You are entitled to these preventive examinations

The most important facts in brief:

Statutory health insurance funds pay for regular health checks and cancer screening examinations.

If you take part in these, you can collect points for bonus programmes.

The health insurance companies can pay for additional extras. In addition, there are early detection examinations as individual health services (IGeL) that have to be paid out of one’s own pocket.

Screening for adults

Early detection of certain diseases is an important preventive measure. Those who take advantage of it regularly are doing something to preserve their health and improve their chances of recovery. The earlier serious diseases are detected, the better the chances are to react medically.

People with statutory health insurance are entitled to a whole range of regular screening examinations. These depend on gender and age and are granted at different intervals.

From the age of 18 until the age of 35 (women and men): a one-time general check-up.

From the age of 20 (women): a genital check-up once a year for early detection of cancer

Up to 25 years (women): annual test for infection with chlamydia

From 30 years (women): An annual breast and skin examination is added to the cancer screening. Make sure that this includes regular breast self-examination for early detection.

From the age of 35 (women): a combined screening of cytological examination and HPV test every three years.

From the age of 35 (women and men): Every three years a general health check-up for early detection of, for example, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

As part of the check-up: From autumn 2021, a one-time screening for hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infections. This is intended to detect undetected infections and treat them at an early stage in order to prevent long-term consequences. If the last check-up was less than three years ago, the screening can also be carried out separately for a transitional period.

From the age of 35 (women and men): Skin cancer screening every two years (early detection). This involves looking at the skin of the entire body.

From the age of 45 (men): annual cancer screening examination of the genitals and prostate.

From the age of 50 (women): Early detection of bowel cancer – and this is an annual test for hidden blood in the stool.

From the age of 50 (men): Early detection of colorectal cancer – namely at the age of 50 to 54 either as an annual test for hidden blood in the stool or from the age of 50 by two colonoscopies at a minimum interval of ten years.

From the age of 35 (women and men): Skin cancer screening every two years (early detection). This involves looking at the skin of the entire body.

From the age of 45 (men): annual cancer screening examination of the genitals and prostate.

From the age of 50 (women): Early detection of bowel cancer – and this is an annual test for hidden blood in the stool.

From the age of 50 (men): Early detection of colorectal cancer – either as an annual test for hidden blood in the stool at the age of 50 to 54 or as two colonoscopies at least ten years apart from the age of 50.

From the age of 50 to 69 (women): For early detection of breast cancer, you will receive an invitation to mammography screening every two years.

From the age of 55 (women): Early detection of colorectal cancer – optionally every two years as a test for hidden blood in the stool or by two colonoscopies at a minimum interval of ten years.

From the age of 65 (men): one-time entitlement to an ultrasound examination for the early detection of aneurysms of the abdominal aorta.

Each insurance fund can also provide for further examinations as voluntary benefits in its statutes. You should clarify this with your health insurance fund in each individual case.

Has any of this information surprised you? Let me know in the comments below.