Künstliche Befruchtung und gesetzliche Krankenversicherung

Since 2004, statutory health insurers have only covered 50 percent of the costs incurred by their policyholders for artificial insemination measures. These benefits are limited to persons who are married to each other. Moreover, the law links such benefit entitlements to the completed 25th year of life and thus to a minimum age of the insured. The introduction of a 50 percent co-payment has triggered a dramatic decline in reproductive medical procedures. Experts estimate that about 55 percent of the decline in births in Germany in 2005 can be attributed to the new version of 27a SGB V. The aforementioned regulations run up against serious constitutional objections, which are explained in detail in the present work. On the basis of a social court referral, the Federal Constitutional Court will examine the issue.