What to expect when you call an AMBULANCE in Germany 🚑

"When should you call an ambulance in Germany?" Or "What will happen when you call the emergency number in Germany?" We answer all of these questions in our video!
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⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:48 - When to call an Ambulance in Germany
03:38 - What number to Dial?
04:09 - What Was Our Emergency?
05:11 - What Will They Ask You?
05:54 - How Long Did the Ambulance Take?
06:20 - Who Arrives With the Ambulance?
07:08 - What to Prepare?
07:45 - How Much Did Calling an Ambulance Cost?
09:42 - How to Get Home from the Hospital
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[@simplegermany]

💡💶UPDATE: We now got the invoice from our health insurance exactly 4 months after the incident. We need to pay 10 euros as a co-payment. The actual cost for the ambulance was 640,10 euros.

[@Wolf-ln1ml]

Just to note - if you don't have your health insurance card accessible for some (good) reason, it's usually enough to tell them which insurance company you're with (and of course your name and date of birth so they can check with the insurance company later). At least that's how it went when I got injured badly enough _and_ my stuff was stolen, I just had to tell them the company and my details on the way to the hospital, there wasn't even a need to bring my (new) card by later.

[@alias8378]

Yes. I called ambulance this month after my husband had an accident and i was so shocked, i couldn´t find the card. He had to stay several days in hospital. And after he got home he found the card, brought it to the hospital and everything was okay. Paramedics an hospital stuff know, that in a case of emergency things get chaotic and no one will blame you for not finding your card. And you don´t have to pay because of this.

[@HolgerJakobs]

I don't even have a health card.

[@dajo1373]

They also will help nonetheless without the information. It is illegal not to help.

[@torbeno96]

worked in EMS for some years, can confirm. Plus there are people without healthcare like some homeless people (technically they have insurance, they are just not registered i think) and thats not a problem either

[@robertovoce5545]

Just to be on the safe side, take a photo of the health card and keep it in phone memory. That's because all they need is the KK name (AOK, TK, etc) and an ID that is on the card.

[@Izanuela22]

It is important to note that you can always call 112 even if in the end it turns out not to be an emergency. They don’t pick up the phone and immediately send the ambulance. First they decide if it is necessary. I once called them because I was so worried about my grandmother. They asked some questions, then explained to me how to take care of the situation and to call them again if this or that specific symptom should occur. So, don’t be scared to call, they decide if an ambulance is necessary or not. Oh and once my very worried boyfriend called them because he thought I was hurt. I was far away and he couldn’t check on me and couldn’t reach me. And they actually found me very much healthy and unhurt. In the end we didn’t even have to pay them because after having asked many questions they decided that my boyfriend actually had reason to think something might have happened so even when nothing HAD happened we didn’t have to pay… very nice!

[@kaktus3175]

Or you could first think, make an informed decision and don't block valuable emergency resources when it's not necessary. But I do admit: This stuff is not taught very well on a wide scale in a lot of countries. That non-medical staff should be able to differentiate between the 116117 and 112 is a bad solution to begin with imho...

[@Izanuela22]

@@kaktus3175I made the informed decision to first ask my brother about the situation (who is a medical doctor) and he advised me to call 112 to ask for their opinion. They then asked me a lot of questions and then made the decision that it was not an emergency. So…

[@Izanuela22]

@@AngelmndyWow so many uninformed opinions… Ok, so a tiny bit of added information. My grandmother (86 years old at the time) had been in a serious car accident. We were back home the next day, she suddenly vomited and seemed a bit dizzy. I was alone at home with her and worried, because I didn’t know if the vomiting was a sign of a head injury or something like that. I called my brother who - again - is a medical doctor himself and he told me to call 112. The man on the phone did not tell me that I am holding the line for some REAL emergency but kindly asked a lot of questions about my grandmother and her health and the accident etc. And adviced me on possible symptoms etc. They did not send an emergency car after that. But it easily COULD have been an emergency. I am not a medical doctor I don’t know, thats why they are there. I have also 2-3 times called 116117 with medical questions during the evenings or nights (also not without good reason) I know that this number exists and that they can advise you. But they are NOT medical doctors, they can connect you with one in case you need one and they can assess the overall situation, but they can not make a quick medical decision. So again, when you THINK it might be an emergency that might need quick action, never hesitate to call 112 and they will assess the situation. Don’t be scared to call the number when you are not sure if it actually is a life threatening emergency… jeez…

[@HenryLoenwind]

@@kaktus3175Emergency lines are not understaffed in Germany, so there should never be any concern about "taking up valuable time". Providing verbal support to a caller who's overwhelmed by their current situation IS part of their job, as is answering the question "Is this an emergency or can it wait?" to a caller who has no medical training.

[@kaktus3175]

@@HenryLoenwind and where do you get this knowledge from? German EMT transportation expenses increased by 41% from 5.95mrd. in 2018 to 8.4mrd in 2022. Even if your assumption that the emergency lines would not be understaffed would be correct, the extra spot in the control center is very expensive. Thus, yes of course it is "valuable time" to just comfort someone. And even if you have no medical training one would assume some common sense from people who went through the (entire) school system in a first world country.

[@BruceBoschek]

I am 82, had a mild stroke in April. My wife called 112, the ambulance was here in 10 minutes (I live out in the country) and was fully equipped for stroke care. The trip to Marburg took about 30 minutes and I was watched over the whole time by an emergency physician and nurse.. Since I have full insurance coverage I didn't have to pay anything, but the trip with the Red Cross ambulance cost my insurance 1000 Euros.

[@Unknown-ek1ox]

Crazy. I (privately insured at the time) had to call an ambulance for a collapsed lung, left side, once. That was before I was 30 but since it was on the left side, with pain and stamina loss, it felt like a heart attack about to come. So I explained the symptoms and that I was alone. It was also a Saturday at 6AM. Operator said given my age a heart attack would statistically be unlikely but they sent an ambulance either way thankfully. Dragged myself onto the street after putting on clothes, coughing bad. Took maybe 5 minutes for them, were there fast. Not much traffic anyway at the time. Ultimately the ambulance itself cost me I think precisely or roughly 300€. But mind you, the hospital was notably closer and the ride took about a few minutes at best, too. Guessing it depends on distance and further care measures. They couldn't properly diagnose me in the ambulance either and only found out my ailment in the hospital after doing a roentgen scan on my lungs.

[@BruceBoschek]

@@Unknown-ek1ox Glad you got taken care of in the end. Like with everything else, YMMV.

[@michaela114]

Anfang diesen Jahres musste ich 112 rufen, da ich meinen Vater mit einem epileptischen Anfall vorgefunden habe - der Mann am Notruf blieb am Telefon bis der Krankenwagen (mit 2 Personen + Praktikant) und der Notarzt (inkl. Fahrer) vorgefahren waren. Außerdem hatte er freiwillige Helfer über die Corhelper-App verständigt, die binnen von Minuten (noch vor Krankenwagen und Notarzt) vor Ort waren, um meine Mutter und mich zu unterstützen... es kamen tatsächlich 3 Personen. Für die Aufnahme in der App muss man medizinisch ausgebildet oder mindestens Ersthelfer sein - die App ortet einen per GPS und informiert einen über den Notfall. Kann also auch im Urlaub, auf einer Veranstaltung o. ä. anschlagen... tolle Sache!!! Alles in Allem standen hinterher 5 Autos und 8 Helfer auf dem Hof meiner Eltern - vielen Dank! Es war eine große Erleichterung, dass so viele geholfen haben. Eine Rechnung ist (so viel ich weiß) dafür nicht gekommen.

[@Why-D]

Sehr interessant. Ich kannte die App gar nicht.

[@technikchaot]

Für gewöhnlich kommt irgendwann von der Krankenkasse der Eigenanteil für den Rettungswagen, für gewöhnlich 10€. Ab und an soll das nicht kommen, da weiß ich aber nicht warum mal so mal so.

[@stefanbraun1951]

​@@technikchaotDie kommt nur, wenn sie dich mitnehmen (10€). Wenn nicht, musst du es normal selbst zahlen, solange keine Behandlung nötig war. Kostenlos ist es meines Wissens nach dann, wenn sie dich nicht in die Klinik fahren, dir aber eine Medikation geben, sprich der Notarzt etwas spritzt, eine Infusion legt, usw.

[@n1vca]

Sehr interessant, kannte ich nicht, danke für die Info. Kleiner Tipp, wenn Du es in English geschrieben hättest, dann würde es auch für die Mehrheit der Zuschauer dieses Kanals hilfreich sein.

[@michaela114]

@@n1vca mach ich normalerweise... hatte ich aber diesmal keine Lust drauf

[@morbvsclz]

You can call 112 as well for Emergencies that you are not sure about who to call. I was in that situation once coming home from a friend late at night and finding my street was completely under water despite not raining. Following the stream it turned there were thousand of litres of water pushing up from underneath the road's surface. So clearly a burst water main. I called 112, they informed the local "Stadtwerke" and within ~15 Minutes someone very sleepy (clearly on call and just woiken up) turned up and shut the supply down at the next valve. They asked if I was the one who called and my address and said thank you and that I would receive a small present. Next day a building crew turned up, ripped open the road and repaired the pipe and I got some "Stadtwerke lanyards, key holders and a 20€ bill in my letterbox) 😀 Not needed at all, but I still found it quite nice.

[@Unknown-ek1ox]

The cool thing about 112 is that you can both relate medical and more so technical or environmental concerns as they then decide to send firefighters, ambulances/EMTs or inform other authorities responsible for whatever may be the issue. And then you have 110 for police of course.

[@TayDex_]

Yes but if possible try to do a quick google if there is a specific number for your problem, too many people calling 112 can clog the line which is bad cause its also used for live threatening cases

[@bluebear6570]

A few years back, I suffered from a heart attck - the third time. It "earned" me a helicopter ride. Guess what I paid? Right, just 10 Euros!

[@simplegermany]

Wow, thanks for sharing your experience! Hope you have recovered well 💪🏽

[@kaktus3175]

The video was more in depth than I thought when I saw the title. I appreciate that you explained other emergency contact possibilities! What I did miss though: The costs of the ambulance and emergency doctor - even though you rarely have to pay that by yourself, but the insurance/society has to: ~ 485 Euro for the ambulance and ~ 337 Euro for the emergency doctor. Hence, yes you can cause a bill of over 800 Euros just by dialing 112 and mentioning key words, which send out both vehicles...

[@BrittTheFurry]

As someone living in the US and from time to time in Germany, it is night and day how well organized the health insurance is over in Germany. If you ever need to pay, it's super affordable.

[@Unknown-ek1ox]

Yeah honestly we have it relatively well over here, I like to think.

[@berndf5213]

You mentioned that for each day in the hospital one has to pay 10 Euros - that means that you have in general to pay 20 Euros since check-in and check-out day are counted as separate days. Also the maximum you have to pay for is for 28 days of hospital stay/year. i.e. 280 Euro. Depending on your income you even have to pay less than this.

[@mrnice81]

Those 280 Euros count towards the total yearly co-pay (in this system not EVERYthing needs a co-pay but many things do, and its the usual 10,- € for most things), and you only have to pay up to a certain % of your yearly income to that .. and only half of it if you have a chronic disease that needs treatment. What you payed more you can get back from your insurance.

[@srccde]

@@mrnice81 You can even prepay that co-pay at the beginning of the year if you know you're going to exceed it anyway.

[@tomatenmarc2070]

I did a somersault off the trampoline in gym class and broke my ankle when I landed. Since the gym was directly across the street, the ambulance was there in 4 minutes. I was first taken to the hospital across the street, but there was no room. Then I was taken to the nearest town 30 kilometers away and stayed there for a week. After that, many appointments with the physiotherapist (also called physiotherapy). Theoretically, all this would have cost 6,400€. But since my family had normal insurance, we only had to pay about 120€ in the end.

[@janonym7312]

As someone already stated, the health insurance cards makes things way easier, but is not really necessary. As long as you have an insurance, they will figure that out. Also if you happen to take any medication, I would highly recommend to prepare a "Medikationsplan" to show to the Doc or the medics so they know what you might be under the influence of and also what other conditions you might be suffering from.

[@andalanjawabarat]

A few months ago I called the 112 for my daughter (she's 7 yo) because her finger was stucked in a bench hole at a tram station. After a few minutes, fireman came. And then Notärzte. And then an ambulance. Her finger eventually free and she was transported to the nearest hospital. She was okay and was allowed to go home, her finger got a little fracture and needed treatment. After a couple of months we received the bill for the emergency treatment and it costed around €500 (minus doctoral treatments afterwards). We're using private insurance and luckily they covered all the cost from the incident.

[@mauertal]

YES.........u have to pay 10 Euro per day in a hospital............BUT........u dont pay for medical care, u pay for food, drinks and other cost, u had at home too.......

[@sonatine3266]

I was in hospital for 5 weeks in 2016 in Germany. Auto-immune disease. Critical state, included 1 week of intensive care unit and 2 weeks isolation unit. I only paid a very, very low own share - the typical 10€ per day, meaning around 270€. I needed very expensive infusions, which I still need all the years after (now all 6 weeks, back then more than 4 only in the hospital time) with one costing more than 2500€ and I didn't have to pay a cent for those.

[@ph1p0F]

An ambulance does not cost €10. You pay the bill - called general health care - each month in advance, depending on your income. This can be up to 810€ per month. Of this amount, the employer pays 50% (405€), but ultimately this amount is also paid by the employee, because it is then not available for the employee's salary. So this 10 € is a great simplification of the real cost.

[@sonatine3266]

I was in hospital for 5 weeks in 2016 in Germany. Auto-immune disease. Critical state, included 1 week of intensive care unit and 2 weeks isolation unit. I only paid a very, very low own share - the typical 10€ per day, meaning around 270€. I needed very expensive infusions, which I still need all the years after (now all 6 weeks, back then more than 4 only in the hospital time) with one costing more than 2500€ and I didn't have to pay a cent for those.

[@CatNolara]

I'm german and didn't even know about 116117. Definitely gonna keep that in mind.

[@samoah24]

Traurig

[@nilsgamer7140]

If someone breaks down, and doesn't respond you are also allowed to call, you don't have to do first help, but you should if you are able to, as an example I'm currently learning what to do in what emergencies, wich is first help, I don't have to do it but I can.

[@orion6997]

I was in the ER for almost 3 weeks and in total had a hospital stay of 3 months, with a bunch of surgeries, tons of meds and intensive care and whatnot I paid a little over 300€ in the end. Thank fk we have insurance to cover most things here. I do remember the Insurance also sending me a bill and it wasn't worth mentioning. This could've gone so much worse with what I was going through. I was unemployed after the whole thing and they let me pay it off however I was able to as well and were super chill during the whole thing.

[@simplegermany]

Thanks for sharing your experience! Sorry to read you had to go through such a tough time, though. Hope all is well again!

[@tobiaswilhelmi4819]

Nowadays most health care insurance companies also provide a dial-in service with first assessment from a doctor by phone, sometimes it's even possible to send in photos via smartphone. And there is also the Medizinische Notdienst der Krankenkassen which you can call if you are not sure if it is an emergency or not but you are not able to get to the ER by yourself. Very helpful especially if kids have a sickness.

[@Quartan284]

I think "Ärztlicher Notdienst der Krankenkassen" is the old name for what is now called "Patientenservice" or "Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst". The number is 116117 - as mentioned in the video.

[@sturmkind]

Glad you are Up again and fine, Yvonne! Stay well and healthy you both.😊

[@TilmanBaumann]

The emergency doctors are a fantastic service. They come to your home if you need to see a doctor.

[@thiloreichelt4199]

Some years ago I had to call an ambulance for a dead drunk guest at a private party. He did not even throw up and did not protest when we tried to awake him. The paramedic warned that the guy should not be without supervision that night, he might vomit during his sleep and die from suffocation. As there was nobody left remotely sober enough for that task I decided to have him sent to the hospital. Under this special circumstances (just beeing far too drunk) he had to pay around 100 or 200 Euros for the night in hospital. Seemed ok to me, if you are that drunk that you can not even mumble "let me sleep!".

[@simplegermany]

Thanks for sharing! That’s an interesting situation indeed ☺️

[@Lari00n]

You could also call 112, if you don't know any other number. For the ambulance you usually call 19222

[@logitechhkc2539]

Good video on our great healthcare system

[@luper8429]

Very helpful, thank you!

[@KonradKeck]

Very well done video, indeed. Allow me to add two things for the video: first, pupils and first-aid classes in general get told to reply on "die 5 W's" (the 5 W's): --> Wer? (Who/How many?) - names are never relevant in an emergency (still many guides specify it as such :( ); however details like gender, age and number of people are required to know what kind of recourses are needed in order to help you appropriately. --> Wo? (Where?) - Simply the place of the emergency --> Was? (What has happened) - remember, 112 also deals with accidents, car crashes, fires and other emergencies that might require specialised help. --> Wann? (When/How long?) - Since when are you observing that? --> Warten! (WAIT!) - do not hang up, until the person on the other end tells you to. Keep your calm, answer further questions and take advice, if given. Often, you don't know all these questions (like your exact address in a car crash situation). But answering to the best of your abilities will help and answering "I do not know" is also a valid answer. second, the emergency hotlines 112 and 110 are meant to call first and don't think later. Therefore they are free. Still, be aware, only to call them in an actual emergency.

[@HenryLoenwind]

One addition: On mobile phones, it's recommended to always dial 112 (or use your phone's SOS capability) for emergencies, not 110. Only that guarantees that both phone and cell tower operate in emergency mode (i.e. kick off other callers to free up lines, operate a full radio power, etc.). The call centres handling mobile calls are prepared to handle both 112 and 110 calls. Although some phones will dial 112 regardless of which emergency number (110, 112, 911, 999, 000, 08, 118, 119, ...) you enter on the keypad.

[@thealphafox64]

I heard somewhere that the first thing you should always say on a call with emergency services is your location in case the call cuts off

[@anyone.really]

Also in school (3ed/4th grade) children learn how to call 112. As in the steps and information you have to give. To be fair, i dont remembered most of it anymore, just that the first thing you say is the adress. They can track your location if needed but it takes time. Then everything in order of impotance active danger, injuries, amount of people etc

[@berndf5213]

One mor comment: The 10 Euro is not a contribution to the cost of treatment but should be regarded as a balance to what you save = you get at least 3 free meals + beverages + fruits + coffee and often cake or other sweets in the afternoon. But if you are not allowed to eat you have to pay anyway.

[@marcusj.835]

Hi, i'am from Germany and i want to declare something. When you call the 112 emergency number and you have no health insurance they will also take care about you and bring you to the hospital if it's necessary. When you come to Germany for work or holliday and you have a health problem take your phone and call them. At first they will help you. If it was an emergency you won't pay anything. If it was not an emergency the man or woman will tell you what to do. The german goverment pay the bill. It's the sollution for homeless people or immigrants. So please call the ambulanz !! IF YOU THING !! you need help and don't by scared about the cost. People in the hospital will later find a sollution with you for that. CU (I hope you understand me)

[@turjo119]

Thank you for sharing this. I have once experience something similar just a lot more severe back home. I would like to not have that repeat ever in my life and it would be best to be well informed on what to do and how to do it.

[@RustyDust101]

Basically to any Americans: better call an ambulance instead of wondering about the cost here in Europe rather than dying. While the cost may vary a bit (a tiny bit) it will still usually be affordable by what you can scrounge together with loose pocket change and the sofa gap. 😂 EVEN if you are NOT insured here in Germany, the costs will be so low that you probably STILL can afford it. Same if you have to go to a doctor. Don't put it off until it gets so bad you HAVE to go see a doctor. Just go when you notice the first bad symptoms, get yourselves checked up and prescribed medication. Even medical drugs will be fairly cheap, even if you have to pay the full price in the pharmacy.

[@QuizPuzzleChallenge]

Thank for good sharing.

[@bensunnyhome1037]

According to legislation it may take a maximum of 15 minutes until the emergency service arrives at any home within germany if you call them

[@cacklebarnacle15]

If you are in the hospital and you are about to leave, but you are technically still injured or otherwise impaired for example by medication, a good hospital will ask you if you have someone to pick you up or if you need the Transportschein. At least that was the case when I went in for surgury earlier this year. Everyone about to leave the hospital unaccompanied was first asked on the floor they were treated and again when they passed the info desk on their way out.

[@nadine8742]

Important information!

[@dileepkumar-kn9tj]

Love how detailed your videos are!! Can you please make a video on finding the very first accomodation. for example, what to do first after landing in Germany for short term stay for few days until one finds the proper accommodation. And where and how to find both short term and long term accommodation without getting scammed (also how to recognise a scam) both online and offline. What are the things to look for before signing the lease.

[@simplegermany]

Thanks! We have a very detailed video on the renting process for short and long term here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYOqqHmAq86Cf7csi=-5C5BqRDoBKoqa3s 😊

[@AlamAsraful]

​@@simplegermany bpb idGXV# ! @][p😊k.p

[@reza310]

Seriously you guys are life savers for expats

[@meinereiner-dv5po]

You can also have your health insurance company exempt you from additional payments. You don't have to pay anything extra. There are 2 types of health insurance, statutory and private.

[@flitsertheo]

Calling an ambulance in Belgium will cost you 60,84 €, no matter the distance or means of transport (by road or airlift). This amount is not refunded by health insurance though maybe an extra private insurance will.

[@abhijitbagchi3471]

Yeah, a lot of germans said they can't eat legumes raw, while me being Indian I can easily eat them raw or soaked no problems at all.

[@Soordhin]

With private insurance it is different. In the Ambulance they already ask for the insurance, confirm it in the hospital, and hospital will usually directly bill the insurance company, especially if more expensive procedures are needed, so you don’t have to pay it up front. The ambulance bill will come a few weeks later, and ambulance is surprisingly expensive. A five minute drive with the local fire department to the hospital will cost around €700 to €800 (my last experience in Berlin, 5 minutes with the Berufsfeuerwehr Berlin to the Benjamin Franklin Campus of the Charité, 2020). In this case neither the hospital bill nor the ambulance were paid by me or my insurance, but rather by the insurance of the motorist who took my right of way when he ran over me, they didn’t try to argue, they just paid up and gave me 5 grand on top of it without me even asking.

[@simplegermany]

Thanks for sharing your insights!

[@bettertoaster]

Both times I had to pay for an ambulance it was 600€. Both times were in Brandenburg.

[@2009sebas]

Amazing info girls!! Really like your videos. Such a great help for us starting to live in Germany. Jenn, would be really interesting if you do some of the videos in Spanish right? To broad the public with Latinos that we are arriving in quantity. Tchuss from Bavaria, an Argentinian with family...

[@notroll1279]

Much as though I appreciate easy and free or low cost access to medical treatment - it has its drawbacks when people just misuse the system or just have no clue of the actual costs involved. Some think of ambulances as a free taxi to hospitals and call them even when they're aware that their medical condition doesn't necessitate it - and on weekends, some people think of emergency wards as convenient 24/7 medical services to visit for non-urgent stuff when your normal GP is closed. During the peak of CoVid times, an emergency ward doctor told my wife (also a doctor) that as a whole, they had less patients than usual: there were really serious emergencies due to covid19 - but there were so much fewer "weekend convenience non-emergencies" cluttering the system. Those all stayed at home to avoid getting really sick.

[@arthur_p_dent]

The invoice can take awhile. I was taken to hospital in the middle of the night in mid March after I had broken my wrist (couln't drive with just the left hand, neither could anyone close to medrive me). They got me a plaster cast. Surgery 2 weeks later. The bill came another 2 months after that. 10€ for the ambulance, 20€ for the two-day stay at the hospital for the surgery, for a total of 30€. I did have some co-pays for painkillers and stuff like that of course. But the total cost remained in the double digits. Well, the taxi back home after the initial emergency was kinda expensive, Was unfortunately necessary, as with my broken wrist not yet fixated, putting on proper shoes would have been very painful and the slippers I was wearing were not suitable for even the relatively short walk from the train station back home (I wasnÄt wearing socks, eithee, and it was still a little cold); so public transport was out. It was the way to go for the subsequent treatment and the hospital stay, though. Unfortunately, my injury was too early for the new "45€ ticket", too. I was unable to drive on my own and therefore used public trasport quite extesively for 6-8 weeks, so the "Deutschlandticket" could really have saved me a Euro or two there.

[@bettertoaster]

TLDR: It costs 600€. You don’t have to pay that if you’re insured. The public health insurance covers it 100%. The private insurance also covers it depending on your contract. But you have to pay it and then get reimbursed by your private insurance.

[@ak4rp0v]

That‘s „only“ for the ambulance. If there‘s a serious condition, like possible heart attack, they will also send a doctor, which is 600 extra. My wife‘s mom was visiting us a few years ago and this happened. Her travel insurance covered it all, but the first bill arrived in 4 months, and second one in two years (!)

[@carlosmartins7081]

Super. Vielen Danke :-)

[@simplegermany]

Thank you very much! ☺️

[@michaelkruse4864]

Great Video 👍 just to add a small note: you mentioned that if you have to stay in hospital it costs 10 Euro per day. This is limited to 24 day a year. If you exeed those days the following days during that year are free. About the Bill for the ambulance you have to know that those typically send during the next year so it may last up to almost 2 years until you receive the Bill

[@simplegermany]

Thanks for sharing! Will keep an eye out for the bill 👀

[@burkhardproksch637]

Small correction for 28 days not 24 days.

[@michaelkruse4864]

@@burkhardproksch637 true. 4 weeks. My fault. Thanks for the hint 😉

[@user-eo5ur1wp4q]

Food poisoning, I hate that. I got it once and spent the night in the ER. I got 4 IV fluid bags. It was bad but I hope everything is okay and that you are better. I love this video and the advice you gave but here is what I would be concerned about. I have known some situations where in something by all accounts didn’t look like an emergency but it turned out to be one. While in every country you need to exercise good judgement when deciding whether or not to call an ambulance, would it be better to find out that this is nothing rather than anything undesirable happening later on? I mean, after all you aren’t calling them every day and if I called them with a good faith belief that something was wrong, I’m not embarrassed if it turns out to be nothing.

[@subramanianrajiv3989]

Thanks

[@simplegermany]

Thank you! 😊

[@Unknown-ek1ox]

Never had to call an ambulance as long as when I was in national health insurance (gesetzlich). Then had to switch to private insurance due to job change as it was cheaper and had to call it once due to a collapsed lung. I was first asked a serious of questions to determine need, explained my situation (felt like a heart attack first tbf as it was the left side, pain and sudden lack of stamina), said I was alone and it was like 6AM on a Saturday so they sent someone. Put jacket and clothes on, dragged myself down the stairs coughing like a MOFO and waited for ambulance in the dark :D. Hardly any traffic in city at the time, ambulance was there after like 5 minutes or so. The ride to the hospital + diagnosis and so on cost me roughly 300 €, invoice issued by the city. With private health insurance you usually pay up front (or hand it in and wait to get your money back before you pay). Some people argue it is still a more privileged (and costly) system, others argue the benefits of that are going back.

[@olka-fs1kv]

I wish every country had this channel❤

[@MichaEl-rh1kv]

Since my mother is now for some years a dialysis patient, I have some experience of my own regarding ambulance transport and the bureaucracy of statutory health insurance companies. If there is a real emergency - no problem: the ambulance arrives, takes her to the hospital, and there will never an invoice of any kind. Ambulance transport to the dialysis center however is another thing: as long as it is planned and approved in advance, the insurance company will get the invoice and pay it. But if I did drive her for some weeks myself, but one day for medical reasons an ambulance was needed for the return trip (including transporting up the stairs), the insurance company will try to avoid paying, and an invoice over about 100 Euro will arrive at my mom's address, and the dialysis center will have to try to negotiate it out with the insurance...

[@TheRealJohnMicheal]

Loving you both

[@anna-ranja4573]

If you need a Taxi to the doctor and asked to get a voucher/ Transportschein. You can get money back from your Steuererklärung. My mom did this, because she is 80 and could n t drive by herself anymore.

[@Danny30011980]

Oh my goodness, that sounds pretty dramatic. Glad you feel better again. Once on holidays in Hungary I had spoilt my stomach too, I've must've eaten something bad too and ended up with (let's call it "output") on all ends aswell. Went down to reception and basically begged them to get me help, as I was so exhausted, which they did. Cost me 80 Euros in the end, but at least I got help. Oh and you got me a fright when you mentioned lentils. I love lentil stew, but usually I let them boil quite a bit to get them soft - however I have tasted single lentils in process to find out whether they were done. Maybe I should rather not do that in future...

[@Engy_Wuck]

one or even ten lentil seeds shouldn't matter much (if at all) for healthy adults. The "toxic" parts "only" stimulate immune response and liquid producing cells and are used medically. If you eat too many (like if you have a full meal of them) this can be problematic, but a full meal contains many, many lentil seeds.

[@KrustyBox]

"The Guatemalan training", hahahah

[@qudusadeolaademiloye1713]

Genau

[@freyjav6055]

Your channel and website are invaluable! 🫶👏🙌 Thank you both for everything you do to make our moves more "smooth" 🫶 (Planning to move there beginning 2024!)

[@Opa_Andre]

I had to call the ambulance myself while staying with my dad once within the last year. Also he had some more incidents where the staff at the nursing home he's living had to call the ambulance as well. Long story short - his medical insurance company is dealing with the expences. For the ambulance alone, for every drive they create an invoice about 10 € per drive - thats what he has to pay for. As you were curious about not getting any information yet regarding payment: It's depending on the insurance company - the one my dad is insured in (DAK) needed approx. half a year till they sent them. So for example in August I got the bills for the ambulance drive as well as for the hospital days which happend in February this year.

[@MK-xc9to]

Well , as a German i must say , i dont bother to call an ambulance because i know that everything is covered by the health Insurance . If its not an emergency and you have an appointment in the Hospital / Doctor s office eg broken Bone = Hand / Arm / Leg and you dont have an car or you cant drive an Car , the health Insurance will pay an Taxicab . There are some minor Fees = 10 Euro for a Drive to and back from an appointment or 10 Euro per day in Hospital but those dont break the Bank = 10 days in Hospital = 100 Euro

[@Dirk-Ulowetz]

When i was in hospital for 5 weeks over one year (yes, it was a crappy year...), I had only to pay for 4 weeks. This is the maximum amount, you have to pay in one year. If you have to stay longer, like me, this time is free of charge. I love the german health system. 😊

[@SkeeveTVR]

At my hospital u can ask for a Taxi-Schein to drive u back home. U need to pay 5 € and thats it.

[@CathiHarris71]

Thank you for the excellent video and information! I also had no idea that you could get food poisoning from undercooking legumes. I thought that was something you only had to worry about with meat or eggs or dairy or something.. I will be much more careful from now on.

[@audreywinter6910]

This was a good explanation of emergency systems in Germany, some Germans might even learn a thing or two. 👍 I got one comment though: our system is not exactly universal healthcare like in the UK, it rather is mandatory insurance. In Germany you can't go any length of time without having health insurance, even if you were to cancel your insurance for some reason. The gesetzliche Krankenkasse would have to insure you retoactively if you had an emergency and had to visit a doctor or call an ambulance. In Germany the money spent for health care only comes out of health care insurances, not out of tax payments, that's teh big difference between the two systems.

[@Cadfael007]

If you had to stay in hospital you have to pay 10 Euro per day (for everything incl. food, medicin +++). Maximum is 280 Euro per year - then it's free. Your health insurence sends you a letter how muchz you have to pay. Mention the payment when you make your yearly income tax forms.

[@youtubekommentar5494]

If it's like your grandma who is exhausted after like 10m of walking, waiting for a KTW (Krankentransportwagen, you mentioned that in the video) is actually a good idea. But it can take serveral hours until they pick her/you up and the hospital won't take care about your grandma (if the has to stay in the hospital you won't call an KTW). So at the end you might find yourself end up with an other relative helping you getting grandma into your car and the stairs up to her flat she usually don't leave because she's exhausted after 10m of walking...

[@manub.3847]

For a medically necessary patient transport with support (example: patient can no longer climb stairs alone and has to see a specialist), you also need such a certificate from this specialist in advance. And call the service way before the appointment. If this form was filled out incorrectly, around 230 euros could be charged for both trips. . Often the family still has to work and has neither the time nor the energy or method to transport the relative from an apartment building without an elevator. ** Yes, you can dispute such a health insurance bill, but it takes a long time. Particularly if the affected patient has since died, as such bills often come six months after the event.

[@N_K12695]

If you have to pay for the ambulance (if you're not insured or within the deductible of your private health insurance) it is about 600,- EUR.

[@marcromain64]

To be precise: 100 to 300 Euro basic charge (depending on the type of medical transport and the respective provider) + up to 3 Euro per kilometre + materials (meds, bandages, oxygen etc.) used during the ride.

[@EnjoyFirefighting]

@@marcromain64 uhm no, that's not quite correct. First off costs differ from state to state. Costs do NOT depend on which EMS provider is dispatched, NOT the distance they drive to get to you and transporting you to the hospital, NOT on the amount of equipment being used! Thus in Bavaria only BLS non emergency medical transports will have a basic charge with a km charge on top of it, but a plain normal ALS emergency run will always be at € 820 ... no matter if it's a 10 minute ride to the hospital with no equipment being used, or if its a 3 hrs lasting call with several EMS units on scene, long ride to the hospital and lots of equipment being used. Doesn't make any difference

[@marcromain64]

@@EnjoyFirefighting I had a closer look and you're absolutely right. Thanks for the correction. 🙂

[@travelvideos]

Good for somebody to go outside and wait for ambulance to guide them to the patient or remember tell them house door code to get in.

[@felixro1006]

If the dispatcher or the doctor on 116117 (sometimes there is no dispatcher so the call get forwarded directly to the doctor) finds out, that an ambulance is needed they usally tell you to call 112 by yourself. It's not that they are rude or lazy, they do it to avoid any loss of information in the information chain. Please tell the paramedics the important things even if you have done it on the phone already. Unfortunately in Germany the paramedics are not able to listen to the phone call. And one thing about the 911 thing. Here I'm not really sure whether I'm right but regarding to my information it can be that technically it's not an emergency call for your phone provider which means that your might have to pay for the call as it would be a normal phone call (if you don't have a flat rate) and your call may not be prioritized in the network of your provider. That is usally not a problem, it's just if the cell is really busy (on festivals for example) it can happen that your call doesn't get connected. But it's always better to just call 911 if you have forgotten the 112 than to do nothing. Apropos nothing, there is a law in Germany that says that doing nothing is a crime. Even if you are overwhelmed in the situation at least you can call help. How to tell your position if it's not an address? On the Autobahn you should know the autobahn number, direction you are driving and the autobahn kilometer. For example: Hey, I'm on A1 Osnabrück towards Bremen behind exit Bramsche. The emergency is at kilometer 333,5. The autobahn kilometers are written on small blue or white signs on the right side. Remember the autobahn kilometer if you don't stop and just do the phone call. Usally you don't need to tell them the position as some dispatch offices are able to see it on their screen. If the dispatcher asks you for that and you are not on an autobahn and totally lost, you can use the coordinates from the emergency plus app. Even though the app is made for Australia the coordinates should work all over the world. Dispatchers doesn't have to be able to speak English. So slow down for better understanding. If a German speaking person level B2 or better can make the phone call, leave it to them. The first question is always the position. If you call 116117 keep ready your post code.

[@simplegermany]

Thanks for sharing your info! The Autobahn tip is great!

[@JackNapierDe]

Just for the record: Calling the ambulance when i had an appenticitis, i was charged approx. 1000€. All of that was covered by my German private health insurance.

[@1memo1717]

in my country calling the ambulance is free with free service and you don't have to be in the situations you have described ...i had stomach pain and i called them to take me to the hospital which is better than if i went by my self cause i get transferred straight to the doctor. Also if you have any elderly that needs to check with the doctor and you have no one to take her or him, you call the ambulance. i come from Kuwait😊

[@simplegermany]

Thanks for sharing! 😊

[@chgr4674]

For normal pains or elderly people that need checked, your normal general practitioner does house calls.

[@baardagaam]

Yeah, but in Qatar, Dubai,.. this is only valid for people with permanent residence or nationals. . 90 procent of the population lives on extended visas and remain non citizens without these ( medical) rights

[@brueckenglied93]

Attention! For every city there's typically something that's called: "Gebührenordnung Rettungsdienst" which means "Payment Rules for emergency units". If you call 112 for a sneeze or other non life threatening situations, some city's might send you a bill with the ambulance costs. There range of the costs are in most cases anything between 600-1200€. Remember this costs might come up on you if you called an ambulance for anything that you can't handle yourself!!!

[@BerndFunken]

If you call 112 they will ask you several questions to determine if you need a ambulance. If they come to the conclusion that you don't need a ambulance they will tell you that and maybe give you helpful tips for your situation. Until this point the call will cost you nothing, but if you insist that they send you a ambulance then you will get the most expensive taxi ever xD

[@ammarburhani8328]

I paid 10euros for ambulance when my wife was having contraction for baby delivery. I called 112

[@ij69]

I have a private health insurance and called an ambulance in the middle of the night in Aug 2018. They sent me a bill of 350 Euros. My insurance company reimbursed 250 from it.

[@franziskasalzer200]

Hi. Greetings from Hannover. Not sure it was already mention in the comments. But there are two pointers. This can be precious time when it is a really severe emergency. First it is always better to call 112, because they are the ones to send the ambulance. 110 must call first 112, so there would be a precious lost of time. Second the 5 W's for the perfect emergency call. Wo(Where did it happend), Wer(Who's calling), Was(What's the situation), Wieviele(How many are involved), Warten(Wait for Check backs). This is for maximal time effiency that could be vital for emergency s where every seconds counts. So please forgive me for venturing deep into a german clichee and favourite pasttime. Lecturing orthers! 😅😉 For the next call, hopeful it will never be necessary again. Don't begin with your language barrier. It's cost time, state 1. address and 2. name, for this two points a different Language is in most cases of lesser importance. Of course if you can't even begin to pronounce something in german or englisch, such as streetnames, that could be a problem. So if there another person who speak at least englisch, let this one take the call. Have a nice sunday. 🙂

[@HI-gj1qn]

that is nice , in the US it would have been between 6000 to 10000 dollars.

[@XLV750RD01]

For the record: A ride in a Medevac helicopter is also free of charge.

[@EnjoyFirefighting]

the small share of the bill will always remain the same as the cost of a patient being transported doesn't depend on driving distance, time spent, material used etc ... A 10 minute ambulance ride to the ER with no equipment being used costs as much as a 3hrs lasting emergency operation and transport with 5 EMS units on scene

[@drau331]

And its no mistake to use the "wrong" number bc they are connected anyway.

[@hfreistify]

Maximum arrival time in Germany for ambulances are 15 min ... by law

[@coover65]

In stark contrast from my years working in a regional part of Australia as a paramedic. I was stationed in a town of 1,500 people, and there were a lot of grazing properties in the region. I got called one day to a fellow with chest pain at a small settlement about 120km down a corrugated dirt road. It took nearly 2 hours to reach him. On another occasion it took four hours to get to a patient on a property (large cattle ranch/farm). Luckily each property has their own airstrips, so we could have him flown out by plane to hospital which was about a 3-hour flight away. Response times in cities are generally around the 8-10 minute mark as a target.

[@baardagaam]

This is one of the few advantages of living in a very crowded/ densely populated country... We can also list many reasons why canada/ Australia has a better living standard, but would take 2 hours for an ambulance...

[@altebander2767]

BTW 110 (police) is not required to speak anything but German. If you don't speak German at all, it might make sense to dial 112 since they are required to be able to speak at least English.

[@simplegermany]

Thanks for the insight!

[@altebander2767]

Well then 112 is your best bet. They can also get through to the police and help you with that. However keep in mind that it's simply not possible for emergency dispatchers to speak every language. With 110 (police) there has been a scandal some years ago, where refugees apprehended a terrorist and wanted to call the police for help, but couldn't do that because the police didn't speak English. Also there might be cases where you need emergency help, but do not want to get the police involved (i.e. if you are suffering from a bad drug trip or something). Then 112 is the better solution. @@geranienbaum

[@sitinowak]

We in Germany (Berlin) feel we have a very good medical insurance. I can vouch for that as I have a mentally challenged son and needed to be with him during his hospital stays and have only experienced good treatment. The bill for my stay was very much affordable.

[@heartsketch3682]

The fact that I am german and learned something new 😂

[@Nijay_the_Ninja]

if you felt really sick and went to the ER, they will treat you no matter what. Even if you just stubbed your little toe. Should you go to the ER with a cold or other little thing? NO, but they will treat you. You may have to deal with some rolling eyes, but you'll still get help, so I doubt they sent you home without help.

[@WolkenDesigns]

Yes, but they will triage you, so you end up waiting a lot of hours.

[@Nijay_the_Ninja]

ya cuz its nnt first come first serve. You are in the ER, the little toe can wait @@WolkenDesigns

[@BlueFlash215]

You are more educated than most Germans and especially more responsible. I liked your approach in which you explained which numbers you need to call, what you need to do in what case, etc. I would have started the decision tree differently: the top should be "Is your condition severe (unconscious, heavy blood loss, loss of limb, heavy pain, etc). There you could have gone 1) yes 2) no 3) unsure due to lack of experience

[@michaelschuckart2217]

Emergency numbers: In case you mix up the numbers, don't worry. You will be connected to the service you need also if you dialed wrong. Police and Fire/Ambulance services are connected by permanent line. Additionally the 112 is the "universal" emergency number all over Europe.

[@manloeste5555]

@@michaelschuckart2217 it depends on the severity I think. I often had to call the highway police while driving (for example because there were dangerous things lying on the lane) and the first times I used 112 because I was told to use this when using a mobile phone. But every time the person at the call center told me to hang up and dial 110 again. There the (local?) police officers connected me to the highway police. perhaps this was the fastest way? But you're right they helped me out even if it was by telling the me correct number.

[@michaelschuckart2217]

@@manloeste5555 Certainly possible, but not the normal procedure. Maybe some item was not functional.

[@jellyd4889]

I am not sure about being more educated than most Germans. They could do a video on that.

[@michaelschuckart2217]

@@jellyd4889 I am not sure I understand you correctly, but I think you will get answers mostly by people, who know the answers to your questions.

[@Why-D]

Funny, that we even don't think about the costs, as the British would also not think about. But there seems to be a little country on the other side of the Atlantic, where people do not call an ambulance because of the cost.

[@SidMaron]

A first aid instructor recently told me: If you are NOT sure, if it's an emergency, call 112! They are way better equipped to help you, than 116117.

[@manuelapoissonnet8685]

This is all weird... im german , living in germany and : i never had a bill for a hospital stay whats or ever... if u call the ambulance ( for urself or ur child or a other relative) the fee is 10 Euro ... finished - what my insurance has to put out? no idea

[@samoah24]

Ca. 600€/Hamburg

[@berlinorama]

A refugee from Ukraine who was living with me last year was hit by a car soon after arriving and somebody who saw the accident called an ambulance. Since she did not yet have a health insurance card, she got an invoice for about €460 from the Johanniter, the ambulance operators, and had to pay it herself.

[@nali3515]

In case of an emergency: Refugees can also use the organised emergency service with the usual treatment certificate or go to a doctor without a treatment certificate and submit the certificate within ten days. In life-threatening situations, the respective funding agency will also pay for emergency treatment in hospital.

[@DUS-Tim]

Thats not true thats she has to pay the bill by herself. Social Services Department has to take care of the invoice.

[@berlinorama]

@@DUS-Tim we tried to get them to pay but they ultimately refused. Maybe because she is not a Ukrainian citizen but only a resident when she fled and was therefore in a different category.

[@harryman01]

We don’t pay in Uk for an ambulance

[@gunnar8716]

Paying for an Ambulance… 😂 That‘s maybe an indicator for the development of an civilization!

[@thorstenjaspert9394]

10 Euros everyone can oay fir an ambulance. Is that right that in the USA an ambulance can become very expensive? A lot of Americans don't have an health insurance.

[@DaxRaider]

10€ for the ambulance and 10€ for every day in hospital i say from memory when i was last year ^^

[@jimtoul]

Just dont call me for dinner😂

[@cdnest]

How crazy ! If the ambulance costs something (i.e. more than 10 euros), then poor people could end up in distress. In the end they don't call an ambulance and someone has to suffer longer or even be harmed!

[@Ringelsocke.]

Lebensmittelvergiftung ist furchtbar, ich hatte für insgesamt 8 Wochen!!! nicht mehr alle Schweine im Rennen. (Campylobacter)

[@jensesau3148]

Als Privat Patient 340 Euro.

[@xelerator25]

it costs you arround 500 euro erry month for the insurence you have to have its a law you have to pay it, if you dont pay it and dont have the money to pay it in the last step you go to prison! im german and i have a letter from bailiff as a proof cause i didnt pay 2 month insurence so HEALTHCARE IS NOT FOR FREE IN GERMANY!!!

[@simplegermany]

No one ever said that it’s free ☺️

[@frankangermann6460]

Expect professional help, and have ur health insurance card with u, even if u don’t have it with u, u will pay nothing….