General Information About Screening

With increasing age, more and more preventive examinations for women are paid by the health insurance – and it is advisable to take advantage of these preventive examinations. Which examinations are entitled to women from 50 years, which preventive care pregnant women can take advantage of and what is also to be considered in terms of iGel services and Co. you will learn in the following.

Preventive care for women over 50

Since the risk of colorectal cancer also increases from the age of 50, all insured persons are eligible for a colon and rectal examination. This is done by palpation of the rectum and a so-called hemocult test for blood in the stool.

From the age of 55, screening is extended to include colonoscopy. Women and men are entitled to this screening examination twice every ten years. Alternatively, patients can continue to have a stool examination every two years.

Special screening examinations are generally required if pregnancy is present.

Preventive care during pregnancy

Additional examinations take place during pregnancy to ensure the health of the mother and baby. Preventive care during pregnancy includes care before, during and after delivery.

In addition to comprehensive counseling on nutrition and health risks, women during pregnancy are in principle entitled to regular blood and urine tests and three ultrasound examinations. In addition, there are examinations for infections such as HIV during pregnancy.

Preventive medical examinations – What to look out for?

In some circumstances, screening examinations can begin earlier: If the patient has special risk factors such as a hereditary predisposition, then the health insurance company will also pay for the screening earlier and at shorter intervals.

In addition to the statutory preventive examinations, insured persons can take advantage of a number of supplementary preventive examinations, but they have to pay for these themselves. Such services are known as “iGeL” services (individual health services).

However, the benefits of these additional services are sometimes disputed, so it is advisable to talk to your doctor. Before performing such iGeL services, the doctor must inform the patient how much the examination will cost. It is also worth clarifying beforehand whether the health insurance company will cover the costs, as the examination may be useful and perhaps even necessary in individual cases.