Desire to have children

In addition to insemination (external sperm transfer), there are currently two other important methods of artificial insemination.

• In what is known as in vitro fertilization (IVF), one or more eggs are fertilized outside the body “in a glass” (= in vitro) after various previous treatment steps. A maximum of three fertilized eggs are then transferred back into the uterus using a thin plastic tube. Under certain circumstances, however, this method does not work.
• If the sperm are too immobile, they will not be able to penetrate the egg on their own. In this case, your doctor can perform an ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). This involves injecting the sperm directly into the egg with a very fine needle in order to fertilize it.

Statutory health insurance covers a maximum of 50 percent of the costs of artificial insemination. The doctor settles these costs directly with the health insurance company if the following conditions are met:

• You must be married.
• Only eggs and sperm from the spouses concerned may be used.
• The insured persons have reached the age of 25 – but women have not yet reached the age of 40 and men have not yet reached the age of 50.
• The attending physician sees a good chance that the artificial insemination will be successful within the 3 available attempts.

Based on the same prerequisites, BKK W&F also reimburses an additional special benefit of a one-off payment of 500 euros for medical measures to induce pregnancy. This allowance increases to up to 1,000 euros if both spouses are insured with us. The reimbursement documents must be received by BKK W&F by March 31 of the following year at the latest.

Tip: In addition to the option of claiming your own share as a so-called extraordinary burden against tax, the federal government will pay up to 25 percent of your own contribution if the respective federal state also contributes up to 25 percent.

A therapy that damages germ cells, such as chemotherapy for cancer, can lead to a loss of fertility. In order to still be able to have children later on, sperm and eggs can be frozen before treatment begins.

This method, known as cryopreservation, is now part of the range of services covered by statutory health insurance for “potentially germ cell-damaging” therapies. Women up to the age of 40 and men up to the age of 50 are eligible.

The onset of pregnancy cannot be programmed. With the help of the program PlanBaby program, you can take the right steps to plan your pregnancy conscientiously and minimize problems or even risks from the outset.

The program provides information about factors that can be influenced and supports the targeted use of prevention and precautionary measures. PlanBaby includes a guide written by experts in an understandable way, as well as a health and nutrition analysis for both her and him. PlanBaby is free of charge for BKK W&F customers.

Insured individuals of company health insurance funds such as the BKK W&F have many additional benefits available through the exclusive agreement “BKK Kinderwunsch” with the Professional Association for Reproductive Medicine Bavaria, which can also be joined by fertility centers from all over Germany. In addition to additional subsidies, it regulates things such as

• 350 euros with two planned cryogenic cycles (from 2023, previously one)
• 250 euros for a maximum of planned blastocyst cultures (from 2023, previously one)

other special features over and above the statutory standard benefits. These include

• a contribution towards a fourth treatment attempt if both spouses are insured with us.
• a simple change of procedure from in vitro fertilization (IVF) to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). A maximum of two instead of three embryos are used to avoid a multiple pregnancy. Additional hormonal stimulation treatment can also be avoided if cryopreserved eggs are still available.
• Allowance for women between 40 and 42 (1 day before their 42nd birthday)

Are you interested in participating in BKK Kinderwunsch? We would be happy to help you. General information is available at https://bkk-familyplus.de/wirtschaft-finanzen/lebensphasen/kinderwunsch