Vorsorge- und Früherkennungsuntersuchung Durchführung bei Kindern

Law on the Public Health Service in Hamburg (Hamburg Health Service Act - HmbGDG)
https://www.landesrecht-hamburg.de/bsha/document/jlr-GesDGHAV8IVZ
§ 26 Book V of the Social Code (SGB V) Health examinations for children and young people
http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_5/__26.html

You can have your children examined for health reasons. This means that your child's general health and age-appropriate development will be examined by a doctor on a regular basis. Any problems or abnormalities can be identified and treated at an early stage.

The statutory health insurance companies cover the costs of medical examinations for the early detection of diseases in children and young people. These are called U-examinations and J-examinations.

Your children can take advantage of these examinations until their 18th birthday. They help to detect diseases at an early stage that could endanger your children's physical, mental or social development.

Up until the child's 6th birthday, dental health examinations are also included, such as determining the risk of tooth decay and advice on nutrition and oral hygiene.

In addition, some health insurance companies offer additional examinations on a voluntary basis, for example for primary school children (U10 and U11) or young people between 16 and 17 years of age (J2). Whether these costs are covered depends on the respective health insurance company.

The exact contents and procedures of the examinations are laid down in the guidelines of the Federal Joint Committee.

• electronic health card
• yellow examination booklet
• reply card if necessary

Insured children and young people are generally entitled to early detection examinations up to the age of 18. However, the following examination periods must be observed:

• U1 Immediately after birth
• U2 3rd-10th day of life
• U3 4th-5th life week
• U4 3rd-4th life month
• U5 6th-7th life month
• U6 10th-12th life month
• U7 21.-24. life month
• U7a 34.-36. life month

Basically none.

For the additional examinations (U10, U11, J2), the costs can be covered by individual health insurance companies as a voluntary service.

• Please contact your treating physician to make an appointment.
• Alternatively, contact your health insurance provider for further information (including on the additional examinations U10, U11 and J2).

The processing time varies depending on the nature of your request.

U6: feedback via the reply card up to the 12th month of life; Possible examination period: 9th to 14th month of life
U7: feedback via the reply card up to the 24th month; Possible examination period: 20th to 27th month of life (see also "Current information")

The social welfare office supports you as a citizen of Hamburg in taking part in the early detection examinations U4 to U9 in cases where the examination can no longer be billed to your statutory health insurance after the tolerance limits have expired. To this end, the social welfare office has concluded a contract with the Hamburg Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KV). As a parent, you can therefore benefit from the social welfare office's new offer to promote the use of early detection examinations for children. As part of this contract, you have the option of taking part in the early detection examinations U4 to U9 even after the tolerance limits have expired. The examinations are completely identical to the corresponding statutory early detection examinations. The doctor bills the Hamburg Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians for the services free of charge. The social welfare office covers the costs of your child's preventive examination. You will not incur any further fees or other obligations.

The temporary special regulations, which had allowed deviations from the requirements of the Children's Guidelines for children between 1 and 6 years of age due to the corona pandemic, officially ended nationwide on June 30, 2022. Since July 1, 2022, the examination periods and tolerance times specified in the Children's Guidelines of the Federal Joint Committee have again applied to the early detection examinations for children U6 up to and including U9. However, the city of Hamburg has decided to continue this regulation for one year.

No

• Statutory health insurance companies cover the costs of early detection examinations (U and J examinations).
• Right to examinations until the 18th birthday.
• Objective: Early detection of diseases that endanger physical, mental or social development.
• Up to the age of 6, there is also an examination of dental health (e.g. risk of caries) and advice on nutrition and oral hygiene.
• Some health insurance companies offer additional examinations:
  • U10 and U11 for primary school children.
  • J2 for young people between 16 and 17 years.
• Coverage of costs depends on the health insurance company.
• Contents and procedures are regulated in the guidelines of the Federal Joint Committee.

Authority for Labor, Health, Social Affairs, Family and Integration