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The legal basis for the financing of assistive products by the statutory health insurance fund is Section 33 SGB V.

According to this, insured persons are "entitled to the provision of hearing aids, prostheses, orthopaedic and other assistive products that are necessary in individual cases in order to

• ensure the success of medical treatment,
• prevent an impending disability or
• compensate for a disability

insofar as the assistive products are not to be regarded as everyday objects or are excluded pursuant to § 34 para. 4".

In addition to the provision of the required assistive products, the entitlement also includes

• the necessary modification, repair and replacement of assistive products,
• vocational training in their use,
• the necessary maintenance and technical checks.

Statutory long-term care insurance may be responsible for measures to improve the living environment (Section 40 (4) SGB XI). The prerequisite is the existence of a care degree. This financial support usually includes a grant of up to EUR 4,000 per measure. The subsidy is independent of income. If several people in need of care live together, a grant of up to EUR 16,000 can be applied for. However, a measure is only subsidized once, even if it benefits several people in need of care and the construction measures are carried out at different times. The subsidy can be applied for again if an illness or disability worsens.

In addition, the costs of care aids are covered by care insurance if the health insurance company is not obliged to provide benefits. In this case, a co-payment (personal contribution by the person with long-term care insurance) must be made. Larger technical care aids are often provided on loan so that no co-payment is required.

Costs for consumable products are reimbursed by the care insurance fund up to EUR 40 per month.

For privately insured persons, the regulations of the German Social Security Code do not apply to the financing of assistive products. Rather, the general insurance conditions and possibly individual supplementary agreements are decisive here.

In the case of private health insurance companies, the provision of assistive products depends on the individual contract concluded and the respective tariff scope.

For this reason, no general statement can be made here about the financing of assistive products. It is important to seek detailed advice before concluding a contract as to whether and to what extent the costs of assistive products are covered by the insurance.