Preventive check-ups at a glance
Identifying health risks early and preventing illness
Preventive check-ups are designed to detect diseases at an early stage and enable timely treatment. The earlier diseases are identified, the better the chances of recovery. As an SBK member, you benefit from a comprehensive prevention program that in some cases goes beyond the statutory scope.
Preventive check-ups at a glance
Regardless of whether a preventive check-up is intended for men or women, it always begins with a medical history assessment. You will be asked about existing illnesses and conditions that have occurred in your family. This is followed by the actual examination. Your doctor will inform you of the results either immediately afterward or at a follow-up appointment.
If any abnormalities are identified during a preventive check-up, the doctor may arrange further examinations. Alternatively, they may provide advice on lifestyle changes that can help improve your health.
Early detection and preventive examinations aim to identify diseases at a very early stage, when they do not yet cause any symptoms. For this reason, these examinations are intended only for people without symptoms. The Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) decides on a binding basis for all statutory health insurance funds which preventive examinations are offered to which groups of people. SBK covers the costs of these preventive examinations for you, and billing is conveniently handled via your SBK healthcare card.
If a person is already experiencing health complaints and has their cause medically investigated, the examination is no longer considered early detection. The goal then is to diagnose the cause and provide successful treatment until the patient has fully recovered.
For diagnostic purposes, the same examinations that are used in preventive care may be carried out. This can make it difficult to distinguish diagnostics from prevention. For example, if you notice blood in your stool, your doctor may perform a colonoscopy. In this case, however, it is not a colonoscopy for early detection. Important to know: All medically necessary examinations carried out to determine the cause of existing symptoms are statutory benefits, regardless of the insured person’s age. The costs of these examinations are covered by SBK and billed via your SBK healthcare card.
After the initial completion of treatment for complex diseases or diseases with a risk of recurrence, such as cancer, regular follow-up examinations are necessary. These are referred to as follow-up care. The aim is to ensure the long-term success of treatment, for example by detecting relapses at an early stage. Your treating doctor will create a follow-up care plan for this purpose. SBK covers the costs of the medically necessary follow-up examinations specified in this plan, and billing is handled via your SBK healthcare card.
As part of preventive check-ups, your doctor’s practice may offer you additional services that you must pay for privately. These are known as Individual Health Services (IGeL) and are not covered by statutory health insurance. You can find more information on this on the page
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How to take advantage of preventive medical checkups
Preventive medical checkups are carried out by registered doctors' practices; you simply need to present your SBK health insurance card. You can find out which specialist practices you can visit for a checkup here:
Overview of breast cancer screening studies
| Age | Content of the examination | Frequency | Medical specialty |
|---|---|---|---|
| No age limit | Medical palpation examination of the breast (Discovering Hands) | Annually | participating gynecology practice |
| From age 30 | Medical history, palpation examination of the breast and lymph nodes, instructions for self-examination of the breast, consultation | Annually | Gynecology |
| 50-75 yeats | X-ray examination of the breast (mammography), consultation | Every two years | Certified medical practice in radiology or gynecology |
Overview of research into early detection of cervical cancer
| Age | Content of the examination | Frequency | Medical specialty |
|---|---|---|---|
| From 20 years of age | Medical history, examination of the vagina and cervix, palpation of the uterus and ovaries, consultation | Annually | Gynecology |
| 20-34 years | Pap smear and examination for abnormal cell changes, consultation | Annually | Gynecology |
| From age 35 | Pap smear and examination for abnormal cell changes, HPV test, consultation | Every three years | Gynecology |
Tests for the early detection of chlamydia infections
| Age | Content of the examination | Frequency | Medical specialty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 25 years old | Urine test, consultation | Annually | Gynecology |
Research into early detection of skin cancer
| Age | Content of the examination | Frequency | Medical specialty |
|---|---|---|---|
| No age limit | Medical history, full-body skin screening, consultation | Annually or every 2 years | Dermatologist's office or dermatology practice (appropriate qualification) |
Research into early detection of colorectal cancer
| Age | Content of the examination | Frequency | Medical specialty |
|---|---|---|---|
| From age 50 | Rapid test for invisible blood in stool, consultation | Every two years | General practitioner |
| From age 50 | Colonoscopy and consultation, alternatively rapid test for invisible blood in stool and consultation | Second colonoscopy after ten years (if no colonoscopy, then stool test every two years) | Gastroenterology or stool test at the General practitioner |
All health check-ups
| Age | Content of the examination | Frequency | Medical specialty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-34 years old | Medical history and risk profile assessment, physical status assessment, blood tests (cholesterol, blood sugar) if necessary, vaccination status check, consultation | One-time | General practitioner |
| From age 35 | Medical history and risk profile assessment, physical examination, blood and urine laboratory tests (cholesterol, blood sugar, protein, erythrocytes, leukocytes, nitrite), vaccination status check, consultation | Every three years | General practitioner |
| From age 35 | Advice on the risks of hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection, testing for hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection by means of laboratory blood tests | Once | General practitioner |
Overview of skin cancer research
| Age | Content of the examination | Frequency | Medical specialty |
|---|---|---|---|
| No age restriction | Medical history, full-body skin screening, consultation | Annually or every 2 years | Dermatologist's office or dermatology practice |
Examinations for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and other abnormalities as part of the health check-up
| Age | Content of the examination | Frequency | Medical specialty |
| 18 to 34 | Medical history and risk profile assessment, physical status assessment, blood and urine laboratory tests (cholesterol, blood sugar, protein, erythrocytes, leukocytes, nitrite) | Once, every three years from age 35 | General practitioner |
| From age 35 | Medical history and risk profile assessment, physical examination, blood and urine laboratory tests (cholesterol, blood sugar, protein, erythrocytes, leukocytes, nitrite) | Every three years | General practitioner |
Overview of investigations into hepatitis B and hepatitis C screening as part of health checkups
| Age | Content of the examination | Frequency | Medical specialty |
| From age 35 | Advice on the risks of hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection, testing for hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection by means of laboratory blood tests | One-time | General practitioner |
Overview of prostate cancer examinations
| Age | Content of the examination | Frequency | Medical specialty |
| From age 45 | Medical history, genital examination, prostate examination, lymph node examination, consultation | Annually | Urology |
Overview of colorectal cancer screening
| Age | Content of the examination | Frequency | Medical specialty |
| From age 50 | Colonoscopy and consultation | Twice, ten years apart | Gastroenterology |
| From age 50 | Rapid test for invisible blood in stool, consultation | Every two years | General practitioner |
Overview of investigations into abdominal aortic aneurysms
| Age | Content of the examination | Frequency | Medical specialty |
| From age 65 | Ultrasound of the abdominal aorta | One-time | Family doctor's office, internal medicine, urology |
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