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Does supplementary insurance pay for a Heilpraktiker?

In short

Yes, supplementary insurance does pay for a Heilpraktiker, the licensed non-medical practitioner, while public health insurance does not. Good tariffs reimburse 80 to 100 percent up to a budget of about EUR 1,000 to 2,400 in two years and cost adults mostly EUR 10 to 50 a month. It pays off if you regularly use osteopathy, acupuncture or naturopathy.

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Does supplementary insurance pay for a Heilpraktiker?

What it costs

Guide values from published tariff comparisons and guides on Heilpraktiker cover.

Example	Typical range
Adult, age 43, good naturopathy cover	under EUR 20 a month
Adult, tariff with broad benefits	about EUR 15 to 50 a month
Simple tariff with 80 percent reimbursement	from about EUR 10 a month
Child with similar benefits	about EUR 4 to 6 a month

As of October 2026.

The premium depends on age, health and budget.

The cost per osteopathy session varies with the practice and length.

Worked example

Back pain, six osteopathy sessions a year

How a tariff with 80 percent reimbursement and a EUR 20 monthly premium works out.

Six sessions at EUR 90 each	EUR 540
80 percent reimbursed	EUR 432
Your own share	EUR 108
Premium per year (12 × EUR 20)	EUR 240

You pay EUR 348 in total instead of EUR 540. With only two sessions a year it would be EUR 276 instead of EUR 180, and the tariff does not pay off.

What a Heilpraktiker is

A Heilpraktiker is a state-licensed practitioner of alternative medicine who is not a doctor. The profession exists in this form almost only in Germany, so many newcomers do not know it. Osteopaths often work with this licence too.

Public health insurance (GKV) does not pay for these treatments. A few funds give voluntary subsidies for osteopathy or acupuncture by doctors, usually with a prescription.

What the supplementary cover pays

Heilpraktiker cover reimburses treatment by Heilpraktiker and often naturopathic treatment by doctors that the public fund does not pay. Typical are osteopathy, acupuncture, homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine and the natural remedies prescribed.

The basis is usually the fee schedule for Heilpraktiker (GebüH) or the Hufeland directory. It lists which methods are recognised and how much is reimbursed per service.

Service	Typical rule in the tariff
Osteopathy	mostly reimbursed, often with its own annual limit
Acupuncture	mostly reimbursed
Homeopathy and natural remedies	mostly reimbursed if prescribed
Glasses or contact lenses	in combined tariffs often EUR 300 to 400 every two years
Bill above the fee schedule	you often pay the difference yourself

The limits people overlook

Almost every tariff caps payouts with a budget, for example EUR 1,000 a year or EUR 2,400 in two calendar years. Once the budget is used up, you pay the rest.

Many practitioners charge more than the fee schedule. The tariff then only reimburses up to that rate. Ask about the price per session before treatment.

Ongoing or already recommended treatment is not covered. If you are already in treatment, you sign too late.

When it pays off and when it does not

An osteopathy session usually costs EUR 60 to 120, and one course often has four to five sessions. If you need that every year, a tariff for EUR 15 to 20 a month pays out more than you pay in.

If you only rarely see a Heilpraktiker, pay yourself. The tariff does not protect against large risks, it spreads plannable costs. For expensive cases like dentures, separate dental cover is usually the better choice.

Step by step

Ask your public fund whether it subsidises osteopathy or naturopathy.
Count how often you see a Heilpraktiker or osteopath each year.
Compare reimbursement rate, budget and waiting period.
Check whether the tariff pays above the fee schedule.
Answer the health questions fully and only then start treatment.

Checklist

Osteopathy and acupuncture named explicitly
At least 80 percent reimbursement
Budget fits your number of sessions
Naturopathy by doctors also covered
Clear rule on bills above the fee schedule

Common mistakes

Signing only once treatment is already planned
Looking only at the percentage and missing the low budget
Taking a combined tariff and thinking dentures are well covered
Leaving complaints out of the health questions

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Does public health insurance pay for a Heilpraktiker?

No. Heilpraktiker treatment is not a public benefit. Some funds give voluntary subsidies for osteopathy or acupuncture by doctors.

How much does Heilpraktiker cover cost?

For adults usually EUR 10 to 50 a month, depending on age and budget. Children are often covered for EUR 4 to 6.

Is there a waiting period?

Usually three months from the start. Some tariffs waive it, but existing complaints are still not covered.

Is osteopathy always reimbursed?

Not always. Many tariffs set an annual limit or require treatment by a Heilpraktiker or doctor. Read the terms carefully.

Are treatments during trips home covered?

That depends on the tariff. Many are built around German practitioners and the German fee schedule, so check the terms before you book treatment abroad.

Can I cancel the contract later?

Usually yes, mostly to the end of the insurance year after a minimum term. Check the notice period in your contract.

Sources

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