Early detection examinations (health examinations) for children

Prerequisites

Insured children and young people are generally entitled to early detection examinations up to the age of 18. However, the following examination periods must be observed:

• U1 Immediately after birth
• U2 3rd-10th day of life
• U3 4th-5th life week
• U4 3rd-4th life month
• U5 6th-7th life month
• U6 10th-12th life month
• U7 21.-24. life month
• U7a 34.-36. life month

Documents required

• electronic health card
• yellow examination booklet
• if necessary reply card

Please note

Current information: The social authorities support all Hamburg residents in carrying out early detection examinations U4 to U9 in cases in which the examination can no longer be billed to the statutory health insurance after the tolerance limits have expired. For this purpose, the social authority has concluded a contract with the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KV) Hamburg. In this way, parents benefit from the new offer from the social authorities to promote the use of early detection examinations for children. Within the framework of this contract, you still have the option of taking advantage of the early detection examinations U4 to U9 even after the tolerance limits have expired. The examinations are completely identical to the corresponding statutory early detection examinations. The doctor settles the services free of charge with the KV Hamburg, the social authorities assume the costs for the preventive medical check-up of the child. There are no additional fees or other obligations.
The temporary special regulations, which, due to the corona pandemic, allowed deviations from the specifications of the children’s guidelines for children between the ages of 1 and 6 years, officially ended nationwide on June 30th, 2022. Since July 1st, 2022, the examination periods and tolerance times specified in the children's guidelines of the Federal Joint Committee have been in force again for the early detection examinations for children U6 up to and including U9. However, the city of Hamburg has decided to continue this regulation for one year.

Deadlines

U6: feedback via the reply card up to the 12th month of life; Possible examination period: 9th to 14th month of life


U7: feedback via the reply card up to the 24th month; Possible examination period: 20th to 27th month of life (see also "Current information")

Procedure

Contact the doctor treating you to make an appointment. Further information (also on the additional examinations U10, U11 and J2) can be obtained from your health insurance company.

Fees

Basically none.




For the additional examinations (U10, U11, J2), the costs can be covered by individual health insurance companies as a voluntary service.

Legal remedies

no

Legal basis

Law on the Public Health Service in Hamburg (Hamburg Health Service Act - HmbGDG)

https://www.landesrecht-hamburg.de/bsha/document/jlr-GesDGHAV8IVZ


§ 26 Book V of the Social Code (SGB V) Health examinations for children and young people

http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_5/__26.html

The statutory health insurance companies cover the costs for medical early detection examinations for insured children and young people, which are also known as U examinations and J examinations. In principle, children and young people up to the age of 18 can take advantage of the examinations. They are used for the early detection of diseases that endanger their physical, mental or psychosocial development. Up to the age of 6, this also includes early diagnosis examinations for tooth, mouth and jaw diseases, eg determination of the risk of caries and advice on nutrition and oral hygiene. In addition to the legally stipulated examinations of the U-examination program, a number of health insurance companies offer additional examinations, especially for children of primary school age (U10 and U11) and for young people (J2, between 16 and 17 years). These costs can be covered by individual health insurance companies as a voluntary service.

The details of the content, type and scope of the examinations are regulated by the Federal Joint Committee in the guidelines for the early detection of diseases in children (U1 to U9) and the guidelines for youth health examinations (J1).