Statutory early detection examinations for adults

All men and women aged 50 and over who have statutory health insurance receive a written invitation from their health insurance provider to undergo bowel and cervical cancer screening. The aim is to inform as many people as possible about the opportunities for early detection.

Early detection of colorectal cancer

• The invitation is sent to insured persons aged 50, 55, 60 and 65. Important: The invitation letter is not required to claim the benefit, the invitation is merely an indication, the entitlement is based solely on age.
• From the age of 50, women (from April 1, 2025, until then from 55) can have two colonoscopies every ten years, just like men. Alternatively, a stool examination can also be taken advantage of every two years.
• If the findings of the first colonoscopy are inconspicuous, a further colonoscopy is only possible after ten years, and stool examinations are also omitted during this time.

Early detection of cervical cancer

• From the age of 20, the BKK W&F pays for annual cancer screening. Female insured persons will receive a personal invitation for this purpose. The health insurance funds send follow-up reminders every five years. Please note: The invitation letter is not required to claim the benefit.
• Between the ages of 20 and 34, insured persons can have a so-called PAP test once a year. This is a smear test of the cervix, which is examined for altered cells.
• From the age of 35, a combined PAP smear and HPV test can also be used every three years.

This health check-up relates in particular to cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases and metabolic disorders; it is possible once between the ages of 18 and 34 and every three years from the age of 35.

Contents:

• Questions about the patient’s condition, medical history and personal circumstances that may be significant for the development of illnesses (medical history)
• Detailed physical examination (full body status)
• from 35: blood tests (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and fasting plasma glucose) and urine tests (protein, glucose, erythrocytes, leukocytes, nitrite)
• Final consultation

You can choose between general practitioners, general practitioners and internists.

Because changes can be detected in good time, women have a very good chance of early detection of cervical and breast cancer. You should therefore have a preventive examination by your gynecologist once a year:

• Women between the ages of 20 and 34 should have a cytological examination once a year by means of a Pap smear, including a clinical gynecological examination.
• From the age of 35, an annual clinical gynecological examination can be taken advantage of.
• In addition, a combination examination consisting of an HPV test and a cytological examination can be carried out every three years from the age of 35.
• From 30, the breast is palpated (including instructions for regular self-examination).
• For women between 50 and 75, a breast X-ray examination (mammography screening) is scheduled every two years. This extended screening can detect even small tumors. If there is a concrete suspicion of a disease, an X-ray examination is possible without an age limit.

All men should check their skin once a month for changes and palpate their testicles for thickening or hardening. From the age of 45, it is legally possible to have a medical examination by palpation of the external genital organs, prostate and lymph nodes.

Insured persons aged 35 and over can have a skin cancer screening carried out by any doctor who has been authorized to do so by the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. In addition to specialists for skin and sexually transmitted diseases, these can also be general practitioners or specialists for general medicine and internists. The early examination can be repeated every second year.

This screening is usually carried out together with the health check up 35.

We offer our policyholders the option of earlier use through special, usually regional supply contracts (usually between 15 and 35 years, in some federal states even less).

As a rule, early detection can be carried out every two years by participating specialists for skin and sexually transmitted diseases or dermatologists.

Billing takes place directly via the insurance card, as with a standard statutory service. To do this, you must sign a declaration of participation and consent at the doctor’s surgery.

As there are a large number of corresponding contracts: Simply ask your doctor whether he or she participates in this additional offer for BKK policyholders.

If you have any further questions, please call our contract and supply management team on 0561-51009780.

Regular skin cancer screening involves an ad hoc assessment, which makes it difficult to track changes. Practices participating in the special care contract Skin Cancer ScreeningPlus offer digital full-body photography including image storage and comparison of images from previous examinations. All moles are automatically recognized and re-measured with every examination.

BKK W&F policyholders can take advantage of the additional benefit once a year free of charge at participating practices:

• Glaucoma screening examinations
• A subsidy is possible for skin cancer screening if there is no entitlement to the standard benefit (Ü35) or the special care contract (U35).
• Mammograms for insured women before the age of 50 or gynecologically arranged breast cancer examinations by blind or visually impaired people who are qualified as medical tactile examiners (MTU).
• Mammasonography (ultrasound examination of the breast) for female insured members
• Health check-ups before the age of 35 or
• Bone density measurements (from 55, every 2 years) if there is no entitlement to a standard benefit.
• Examination for the early detection of bowel cancer (immunological stool test, colonoscopy) in the case of risk factors (familial or hereditary increased risk of disease).

Important: The amount of 50 euros applies to all examinations together. If the subsidy has already been claimed in full for one of the services mentioned, participation in further costs is only possible again in the following year.