Costs/Takeover
Costs of a back school vary from provider to provider. To make a rough estimate, you can calculate about 90 Euros for 8 – 10 sessions of 60-90 minutes each. Therefore, please ask different providers for more information.
Maybe you are already a member of a fitness studio. Here too, courses are often offered. Before you start, check with your statutory health insurance company whether the course is subsidized.
The statutory health insurance companies offer many options to alleviate or cure back pain, from drug therapy to physiotherapy. Back school is to be understood as courses and literature that provide information and exercises to prevent or reduce back pain. The goal of back school is to promote health and prevent the chronicity of back pain with possible secondary diseases.
The statutory health insurance company subsidizes 8 to 12 therapy sessions of 60 to 90 minutes each with about 80 percent of the costs each year; however, depending on the health insurance company, the maximum is 100 – 150 euros per year. Courses for the back school may have a maximum of 15 participants. The back school must be led by sports teachers, gymnastics teachers, physiotherapists or doctors with adequate additional qualifications.
The courses for the back school are offered by statutory health insurance companies, occupational therapists, fitness studios and physiotherapists. In order to get the costs reimbursed, a corresponding written application must be submitted to the respective health insurance company. Regular participation in the back school must also be confirmed in writing by the respective institution (e.g. rehabilitation center, practice, fitness studio).
With serious offences against the “GKV guideline prevention” of the health insurance company, this can require a fine at a value of at present 5000 euro. Only the costs for the back school are taken over. Other costs such as drinks and similar will not be reimbursed in connection with the course.
Summary
As the prevalence (frequency) of back problems increases, many people have a need for preventive or alleviating measures from back school. Especially in today’s professional world we encounter one-sided postures, overloading of the spine, lack of exercise as well as unfavorable ergonomic working conditions. This has also led to the insight of the statutory health insurance companies that prevention is more cost-effective than financing the subsequent treatment costs and medication.
Therefore, it is advisable for those affected to take advantage of this offer and attend courses in back school to become active in prevention. The financial support of the health carriers provides an additional financial incentive.