Procedure descriptions

Apply for medical prevention and rehabilitation measures for mothers and fathers

Parents are exposed to a variety of stresses and strains in everyday family life. If their health suffers as a result, treatment at a specialised facility can help.

Under certain conditions, mothers or fathers are entitled to a mother or father-child programme from their health insurance provider. This measure can be carried out as a preventive measure, i.e. to strengthen health, or as a medical rehabilitation measure to restore health.

A mother or father-child programme is inpatient treatment for mothers or fathers in a facility run by the Mothers' Convalescence Centre or a similar facility. This focuses on the particular stress of mothers or fathers and is specialised for this target group. It usually lasts 3 weeks and can be applied for every 4 years.

In principle, children up to the age of 12 can take part in the mother or father-child programme. Children can be accompanying children (without their own treatment) or therapy children (with their own treatment). It is of course also possible for you to travel to the programme without your children.

During the stay, parents do not have to apply for leave from their employer, as the authorisation is valid as a certificate of incapacity for work.

Please note: If you are privately insured, the extent of the cost reimbursement depends on the content of your personal insurance contract. In this case, please contact your private health insurance company for more information.

Responsible department

Your statutory health insurance, your private health insurance or your subsidy office

Details

Prerequisite

  • You are insured with a health insurance company.
  • The programme for mothers or fathers is necessary for medical reasons and is prescribed by a doctor.
  • A separate prescription is required for accompanying therapy children.

Procedure

You must apply for the mother or father-child measure with the necessary documents at your responsible office:

  • The application and the doctor's prescription will be checked there.
  • If necessary, the documents will also be checked by the medical service.
  • You will then receive a decision from your health insurance fund approving or rejecting your application.

As a rule, you have six months to start the treatment. The selection of a suitable spa clinic is primarily based on indications by your health insurance company. As a patient, you have a say in the choice of facility in the form of the right to request and choose.

It is important for the reimbursement of costs for a mother or father-child programme that the health insurance company has given its approval before the programme begins.

Deadlines

You can apply to the health insurance fund for a mother or father-child measure every 4 years.
A shorter period is possible if an early measure is urgently required for medical reasons

Required documents

  • Medical prescription for preventive medical care or rehabilitation measures for mothers or fathers, if applicable also for accompanying children
  • Completed application form for your health insurance company

Costs

For processing the application: none

The costs for your mother or father-child programme are covered by your health insurance company.

You only have to pay the statutory co-payment of EUR 10.00 per adult per day; children are exempt from this. Exemption from the co-payment for adults is possible under certain conditions. Please contact your health insurance company for this.

Processing time

The health insurance fund must decide on your application quickly, usually within three weeks. If an opinion is obtained from the medical service, this period is extended to five weeks.

Miscellaneous

You can obtain information about preventive care and rehabilitation measures and other benefits (e.g. travel costs, household help) from your health insurance company, but also from the counselling and placement centres of the welfare associations and the Müttergenesungswerk.

If you are privately insured, the extent of the reimbursement of costs depends on the content of your personal insurance contract. In this case, please contact your private health insurance company for more information.

Legal basis

Sozialgesetzbuch Fünftes Buch (SGB V) - Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung:

  • § 23 Medizinische Vorsorgeleistungen
  • § 24 Medizinische Vorsorge für Mütter und Väter
  • § 40 Leistungen zur medizinischen Rehabilitation
  • § 41 Medizinische Rehabilitation für Mütter und Väter
  • § 61 Zuzahlungen

Release note

Machine generated, based on the German release by: Sozialministerium Baden-Württemberg, 03.06.2025