Costs and insurance
Check-up 35
In one sentence
The Check-up 35 is the preventive health exam paid by the gesetzliche Krankenkasse: once between 18 and 34, then every three years from age 35. It includes a talk, a physical exam, and a blood test for cholesterol and blood sugar.
The Check-up 35, officially the Gesundheitsuntersuchung, is the general preventive exam for people with gesetzliche Krankenversicherung. You can take it once between 18 and 34, then every three years from age 35, and your Krankenkasse pays for it.
The appointment itself covers five separate things:
- The doctor asks about your health history and your personal risks.
- A physical examination follows, together with a blood pressure measurement.
- The appointment also includes a urine test.
- A blood test measures your cholesterol values and your blood sugar.
- From age 35 you also get a one-time screening for hepatitis B and C.
Two things about the Check-up 35 surprise most people who book it:
- A Blutbild is not part of it, because the blood test measures blood fats and sugar rather than blood cells, so a großes Blutbild only happens when your doctor has a medical reason to order one.
- Values like vitamin D, ferritin, thyroid or hormones are missing too, and without symptoms they are usually an IGeL-Leistung or part of a larger self-paid panel.
The Check-up 35 is a sensible baseline and it is worth taking, but it covers much less than most people assume.
This glossary entry is general information, not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat or rule out any condition. Discuss your own results with a clinician who knows your history.
