Social assistance benefits as preventive health-related counselling

    Persons without health insurance who only receive short-term subsistence assistance may be entitled to health assistance.

    Description

    If you need help with your livelihood and do not have health insurance – statutory or private – medical care is ensured by the social welfare provider.

    The social assistance institution checks whether you are allowed to receive benefits. They are entitled to preventive health assistance. These include:

    • Preventive medical services
    • Investigations for the prevention and early detection of diseases
    • medical treatments to prevent illness or damage to health

    Online services

    There is currently no online service available for this location.

    Competent office

    The following are responsible:

    • the social welfare office of the respective local social assistance institution

    or

    • the social welfare office of the municipality belonging to the district or region used by the local social assistance provider,

    in which the domicile is located.

    Local social assistance agencies in Lower Saxony: districts, independent cities and the Hanover region

    Contact point

    Responsible is

    • the social welfare office of the respective local social welfare provider

    or

    • the social welfare office of the district or regional municipality used by the local social welfare provider,

    in which the residence is located.

    Local social welfare authorities in Lower Saxony: districts, independent cities and the Hannover region

    Contact person

    Unfortunately, no contact persons were found for District Verden (Lower Saxony). Please check the service description above for information on how to find the responsible contact person.

    Forms

    An informal application is possible. Form forms can be requested – regularly also online – from the responsible social welfare office and the respective contact persons, or are already stored on the homepage.

    Prerequisites

    Health aids are given to persons,

    • who do not have statutory or sufficient private health insurance,
    • the provision of benefits via the health insurance fund (§ 264 Abs. 4 SGB V) is out of the question
    • and for whom it is not reasonable to raise the funds for the necessary assistance from income and assets.

    An objection may be lodged against decisions of the competent social assistance institutions within one month of notification.

    After completion of the opposition proceedings by means of an objection decision, an action may be brought before the Social Court within one month of notification.

    Procedure

    Beneficiaries (without health insurance) apply for a treatment certificate to the social welfare office of the competent institution for their subsistence benefits.

    The latter examines the application in particular with regard to priority claims and, if necessary, further instigation (e.g. with regard to § 264 SGB V or submission to the responsible social welfare office) and makes the approval decision if the conditions are met.

    Here: Issue of treatment certificate

    Processing time

    A decision on the application will be taken as soon as possible, in particular if there is a clear sense of urgency. The processing time depends, among other things, on the completeness of the information and the submission of the supporting documents required for the processing of the application.

    Costs

    Fee free of charge

    Information for Lower Saxony: Hilfe zur Gesundheit Erbringung als präventive gesundheitsbezogene Beratung

    Fee free of charge

    Notes (specifics)

    not specified

    Unterstützende Institutionen

    not specified

    Welche Dokumente resultieren aus dieser Leistung?

    not specified

    Area of validity

    Lower Saxony

    Official approval

    Officially approved by Lower Saxony Ministry of Social Affairs, Health and Equality

    Version

    Technisch erstellt on 13.10.2021
    Technisch geändert on 27.03.2026

    Keywords

    Social assistance, Consulting, Health aid, Health service

    Language version

    Deutsch

    Sprache: de
    Technisch erstellt on 07.06.2017
    Technisch geändert on 14.05.2025

    Englisch

    Sprache: en
    Sprachbezeichnung nativ: English
    Technisch erstellt on 22.10.2025
    Technisch geändert on 23.10.2024