No guaranteed subsidy
The subsidy is at the discretion of your individual insurer. Best ask your Krankenkasse about the exact conditions before the course starts.
Qigong and health insurance: how reimbursement works.
My ZPP-certified courses are prevention courses under § 20 SGB V, the German law on prevention. Many gesetzliche Krankenkassen, Germany's statutory health insurers, refund the course fee in full or in part. If you're new to the system: most people who live and work in Germany are insured with one of these public insurers, and anyone with German statutory insurance can apply for the reimbursement, expats included. Here is how it works, with no fine print.
What the certification means.
ZPP stands for Zentrale Prüfstelle Prävention, the central vetting body for prevention. On behalf of the statutory health insurers, it checks whether a course and its instructor meet the quality standards for prevention courses. Courses carrying this seal meet the quality requirements of the statutory insurers under § 20 SGB V.
For you this means: a ZPP-certified course is not just any fitness offer, but a vetted course concept with qualified instruction. After the course you can file a reimbursement request with your insurer, and your insurer can contribute to the cost.
The process
From signing up to reimbursement.
Pick a course
Choose a ZPP-certified course, in person in Berlin or live online. Make sure the course carries the ZPP certificate.
Attend regularly
Attend the sessions of the course block. A minimum attendance rate is usually required for the certificate, mostly around 80 percent of the sessions. Your insurer sets the exact rate.
Get your certificate of attendance
After completion, I issue your official certificate of attendance, in line with the ZPP certification requirements.
Submit it to your insurer
Send in the certificate, online or by post. The reimbursement comes directly from your Krankenkasse, and the amount varies from insurer to insurer.
How much gets refunded.
Each insurer sets this itself, in its own statutes. Many statutory insurers cover the fee for one or two prevention courses per year, in full or for a large part. Only your own insurer can answer this reliably. A quick call or a look at their website before the course starts is worth it.
To be honest with you: I can't guarantee a reimbursement. What I can give you is the vetted course, the certificate and a solid basis for your application. The decision rests with your insurer.
Good to know
What to keep in mind.
Only ZPP-certified courses
Not every Qigong course qualifies for reimbursement. Only courses with a valid ZPP certificate meet the requirements. My ZPP courses are certified accordingly.
Prevention, not therapy
The courses are prevention courses under § 20 SGB V, not a therapeutic offer and no substitute for medical treatment.
These courses are ZPP-certified.
- ZPP prevention course Berlin: in person, 8 × 75 minutes, 130 € per course block
- ZPP live online course: Zoom, 8 sessions, 130 € per course block
Prevention, clearly framed.
Prevention courses are a health promotion offer. They are not therapy and no substitute for medical advice or treatment. If you're currently in treatment or have health complaints, talk to your doctor before the course starts.
Common questions
FAQ on health insurance.
Yes, to the ZPP-certified live online course. It qualifies for a subsidy just like the in-person courses, and the exact conditions depend on your insurer. The video course is a self-study offer of its own, with no reimbursement claim.
Usually not. You complete the course, receive the certificate of attendance and submit it afterwards. If in doubt, check briefly with your insurer beforehand.
A minimum attendance is required for the ZPP certificate, usually around 80 percent. Just talk to me, in special circumstances we'll look for a solution together.
That depends on your plan. Private insurers decide case by case: some contribute to prevention courses, many don't. Best clarify it with your insurer in advance. Everything on this page describes the statutory system.
Yes. You pay the course fee first and submit the certificate of attendance to your insurer afterwards.
One or two subsidized prevention courses per calendar year is common. This too is set by your insurer's statutes.