Shock wave therapy

The Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) has the task of reviewing medical examination and treatment methods for statutory health insurance. The focus here is on proven benefit, medical necessity and cost-effectiveness according to the current state of scientific knowledge. If all of these requirements are met, a method can be offered as an outpatient service of the statutory health insurance.

On the basis of available studies, the Federal Joint Committee decided some time ago that shock wave therapy for heel pain should be included as a standard service in the statutory health insurance catalog and billed via the electronic health card (eGK). The prerequisites for this are that

• the heel pain has restricted the usual physical activity for at least six months and

• various conservative therapeutic approaches (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) including patient-centered measures (including at least rest, stretching exercises and insoles) have been used for a sufficient period of time during this time without relevant improvement in symptoms.

The attending physician decides whether these medical requirements are met.

All other indications were explicitly excluded from the statutory health insurance scheme. Cost coverage by statutory health insurance is therefore not legally possible – even in the context of subsequent reimbursement.