Costs and cost coverage by health insurers

With regard to the costs, a distinction must be made as to whether the freezing is due to a cancer illness or for lifestyle reasons.

Cost coverage in the case of cancer has finally been decided!

On 16 July 2020, the Joint Federal Committee (G-BA) decided that the cryopreservation of egg and sperm cells and the associated medical measures will in future be covered by the statutory health insurance (GKV) under certain conditions. In the treatment of diseases, therapies may be used that pose the risk of impairing fertility or leading to its loss. With the new guideline on cryopreservation, the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) has specified the entitlement of SHI-insured persons to the service of cryopreservation of germ cells for subsequent fertility treatment.

Cryopreservation and the associated medical measures are intended to open up the possibility for patients to fulfil their wish for a child at a later date through artificial insemination, even after germ cell-damaging therapy. (See press release: Cryopreservation of egg and sperm cells as a SHI benefit – G-BA decides on guideline, dated 16 July 2020). (See press release: Cryopreservation of egg and sperm cells as a SHI benefit – G-BA decides on guideline / Pressemitteilung: Kryokonservierung von Ei- und Samenzellen als GKV-Leistung – G-BA beschließt Richtlinie, dated 16 July 2020)

As of today’s date (15.9.2020), we are still waiting for the implementation. For all patients who unfortunately start fertility preservation now due to cancer, a transitional rule applies. We will be happy to advise you. If you have been diagnosed with cancer, please email us. In these circumstances we will enable you to make an appointment immediately.

Costs for fertility preservation for personal reasons (so-called social freezing)

According to the guidelines of the German Social Security Code, measures for the cryopreservation of oocytes are not included in the scope of services provided by the statutory health insurance funds. The same applies in principle to patients with private health insurance. Therefore, it must also be assumed that the costs of the subsequent artificial insemination are not borne by the health insurance fund.

The costs incurred are made up of the following items: