Partial treatment for uninsured people in Germany

According to the UN Social Covenant, all people have the right to freely accessible and affordable health care (UN, 1966). In addition, general health insurance has been compulsory in Germany since 2019. Nevertheless, there are many people in Germany who have no or inadequate insurance coverage. This also affects many Germans who can no longer pay their contributions due to bankruptcies, loss of income or loss of their job, as in Erika's case. But in addition to the financial aspects, there are other barriers, such as the rejection of homeless patients in regular doctor's offices. People without a regulated residence status or place of residence in particular often experience discrimination. These barriers are often mutually dependent (Federal Ministry of Health, 2023; dbb, 2023). What they all have in common is that they prevent adequate medical care. The patients of Doctors of the World's domestic projects are in extremely precarious living situations. A large proportion of them do not have secure housing (81.9%), live without a regulated residence status (16.1%) and have to make do with an income below the poverty line (98%). Many of them worry about their existence, live in a daily life that is characterized by little stability and security. They often have no functioning social network and are excluded from social participation. This affects their physical and mental health. At the same time, the majority of patients do not have adequate access to health care (87.7%). This means that diseases are often discovered and treated far too late. The prospects of success of medical and psychotherapeutic treatment are sometimes severely limited by these conditions (Doctors of the World, 2021 & 2022).