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🚗 Travel costs for treatment (§ 60 SGB V)

The health insurer covers journeys to outpatient treatment only with prior approval – except with certain marks in the severe disability card, a high care level or particularly frequent treatment.

Travel costs Patient transport Krankentransport-Richtlinie Mark aG § 60 SGB V

In brief

The health insurer covers travel costs to outpatient treatment only if it has approved them beforehand – exceptions apply, among others, to people with a severe disability card with the mark "aG", "Bl" or "H", to people with care level 3, 4 or 5 with a permanent mobility impairment, and to certain particularly frequent treatments such as dialysis, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. For these exceptions, approval is deemed to be granted automatically.

Step by step

  1. Get a medical prescriptionHave the journey to outpatient treatment prescribed on the appropriate form.
  2. Apply for approval before travellingSubmit the prescription to the health insurer and in principle wait for approval before the journeys begin.
  3. Check for an exceptionIf you have a severe disability card with the mark aG, Bl or H, or care level 3–5 with a permanent mobility impairment, separate prior approval is not needed – show proof to the transport company or the insurer.
  4. Pay the co-paymentThe statutory co-payment of 10% per journey applies, at least 5 and at most 10 euros – up to the burden limit.
  5. Consider an objection if refusedIf approval is refused although the treatment is absolutely necessary and the journey is medically required, consider an objection (Widerspruch).

Deadlines

before travelling
The health insurer's approval must in principle be in place before the journeys begin, except in exceptional cases regulated by law§ 60 SGB V in conjunction with the Krankentransport-Richtlinie
Watch out – common mistakes
  • Insurers grant retrospective approval only in narrowly limited exceptional cases (e.g. emergencies) – without prior approval, cost coverage is otherwise at risk.
  • The list of exceptional cases (high-frequency treatments such as dialysis, oncological chemotherapy or radiotherapy) is conclusively regulated in the Krankentransport-Richtlinie and may change.
  • Journeys to inpatient treatment (hospital stay) are subject to different rules from journeys to outpatient treatment – this page deals with the more common outpatient situation.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals

Legal basis

§ 60 SGB V governs the coverage of travel costs to a benefit of the health insurer. For journeys to outpatient treatment, prior approval from the health insurer is in principle required; the details are governed by the Krankentransport-Richtlinie of the Federal Joint Committee.

Automatic approval for certain marks and care levels

If the insured person has a severe disability card with the mark "aG" (exceptional walking disability), "Bl" (blindness) or "H" (helplessness), the health insurer does not need to approve the journey separately; approval is deemed granted. The same applies under the Krankentransport-Richtlinie to insured people with care level 3, 4 or 5 with a permanent mobility impairment.

Exception for particularly frequent treatments

For journeys to a treatment that takes place at high frequency over a longer period and for which there is an impairment of mobility due to the underlying illness (typically dialysis treatment and oncological chemotherapy or radiotherapy), the Krankentransport-Richtlinie likewise provides for simplified approval.

Who is responsible
  • Statutory health insurer
Further reading
Co-payment exemption and burden limit (§ 62 SGB V)Aids and appliances and therapies: prescription and cost coverageSevere disability card and degree of disability (GdB) in chronic illness

Quick questions

Worum geht es bei „Travel costs for treatment (§ 60 SGB V)“?
The health insurer covers journeys to outpatient treatment only with prior approval – except with certain marks in the severe disability card, a high care level or particularly frequent treatment.
Which deadlines and figures matter?
before travelling: The health insurer's approval must in principle be in place before the journeys begin, except in exceptional cases regulated by law (§ 60 SGB V in conjunction with the Krankentransport-Richtlinie)
What should I do first?
  • Get a medical prescription: Have the journey to outpatient treatment prescribed on the appropriate form.
  • Apply for approval before travelling: Submit the prescription to the health insurer and in principle wait for approval before the journeys begin.
  • Check for an exception: If you have a severe disability card with the mark aG, Bl or H, or care level 3–5 with a permanent mobility impairment, separate prior approval is not needed – show proof to the transport company or the insurer.
What do I need to watch out for?
  • Insurers grant retrospective approval only in narrowly limited exceptional cases (e.g. emergencies) – without prior approval, cost coverage is otherwise at risk.
  • The list of exceptional cases (high-frequency treatments such as dialysis, oncological chemotherapy or radiotherapy) is conclusively regulated in the Krankentransport-Richtlinie and may change.
  • Journeys to inpatient treatment (hospital stay) are subject to different rules from journeys to outpatient treatment – this page deals with the more common outpatient situation.
Evidence
  • § 60 SGB V (gesetze-im-internet.de)
  • Krankentransport-Richtlinie of the G-BA (g-ba.de)
  • § 61 SGB V – co-payment (gesetze-im-internet.de)
As of

As of: September 2026. · Sources and method

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