🚑 Health care for homeless people
In brief
A hospital or doctor's practice may not refuse treatment in a medical emergency because of missing insurance or missing papers. This follows from the interplay of criminal law (§ 323c StGB, failure to render assistance) and medical professional law, not from an independent entitlement of the patient under social law. In addition, there are specialised street clinics that treat people at low threshold and partly anonymously.
Step by step
- Call 112 in an emergencyIn an acute medical emergency, call the emergency medical service – treatment is provided regardless of insurance or residence status.
- Visit a street clinicFor non-acute complaints, visit a specialised street clinic or anonymous point of contact (e.g. Malteser Migranten Medizin, Ärzte der Welt, municipal services).
- Clarify insurance coverHave your existing health insurance cover clarified (see "Health insurance without a fixed address").
- Use specialised servicesFor dental problems, mental strain or addiction, specifically ask about specialised low-threshold services locally.
Deadlines
- There is no independent entitlement of the patient to emergency help under social law – the duty arises from criminal law (§ 323c StGB) and medical professional law; for cost questions between helpers and the social assistance provider, there is also the so-called emergency helper provision (§ 25 SGB XII), which however regulates a reimbursement claim of the helper, not a claim of the patient.
- For people without residence status, the regular social assistance route can be risky because Sozialämter may be obliged to report to the immigration authority (§ 87 Abs. 2 AufenthG) – anonymous services are often the safer route here.
- Opening hours, capacity and the exact offer of street clinics vary greatly locally – ask for current information locally or at a specialist advice centre.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals
Legal basis of emergency help
§ 323c StGB obliges every person – including medical staff – to render reasonable assistance in accidents or common danger. In addition, medical professional law prohibits refusing urgent emergency help. For the reimbursement of costs of helpers who act in an emergency, § 25 SGB XII provides a so-called emergency helper claim – this is directed at the helper or the facility, not at the person in need of help themselves.
Access for people without residence status
Under § 87 Abs. 2 AufenthG, Sozialämter are in principle obliged to transmit certain data of people without residence status to the immigration authority. This can make the regular route via social assistance risky for those affected and explains the particular importance of anonymous, donation-funded services.
Examples of specialised services
Known providers of specialised medical care for homeless people and people without regular insurance include Malteser Migranten Medizin (several locations nationwide), Ärzte der Welt (including the open consultation "open.med" in Berlin-Lichtenberg and treatment buses in several cities), the outpatient clinic of the Berliner Stadtmission, a GP consultation of Diakonie Hamburg and the street clinic of Caritas Hannover. The offer and accessibility of these facilities change; current opening hours should be requested directly from the providers.
A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.