Pregnancy and Maternity
Our Services
We want to support you during the pregnancy and after the birth of your child. In this special time, you are allowed to get certain benefits. The services during pregnancy and maternity include, for example:
Medical Care and Midwife Assistance
A good prevention during and after pregnancy is essential. We not only take care of the best possible maternity care, but also support your safe pregnancy with other great services.
Maternity Pay
Maternity allowance pay protects pregnant women from financial disadvantages during their maternity leave.
Especially for Members of Merck BKK: “Klapperstorch (Stork) Program”
We all know the story of the stork and what it represents, namely a wonderful gift in the form of a baby. We would like to support our future parents at this special time. That is why we have created a program for the pregnancy and the first year of the child´s life. With our “Klapperstorch (Stork) program”, families can receive refunds up to 500 €.
With this package, we are expanding the range of services offered by the statutory health insurance fund and offering you a comprehensive plus with many additional services relating to the course of pregnancy. This offer is free of extra charges.
FAQ Medical Care and Midwife Assistance
Who takes care of me during and after my pregnancy?
If you are pregnant, please consult a gynecologist. The doctor will determine your pregnancy, the expected date of birth and guides you through the pregnancy. Accredited gynecologists in Hessen can be found at the following homepage:
www.arztsuchehessen.de/arztsuche/arztsuche.php
If you live in another federal state, you can search for accredited doctors here:
In addition to your doctor, you can also be supported by a midwife. To find a midwife, you can ask your gynecologist, the hospital where the delivery is planned or take a look on the following homepages:
What kind of treatments are covered by the Merck BKK?
Usually you don’t have to pay a bill from the doctor or hospital in advance. Contract partners bill the Merck BKK directly. Often additional treatments are offered by the doctor, which you must pay by yourself. If you receive a private invoice, we can check if a refund is possible (for more information take a look at our “Klapperstorch (Stork) program”). The medical care and midwife assistance include for example:
Medical care
- Identification and monitoring of high-risk pregnancies
- Ultrasound diagnostics (three ultrasounds can be paid by your health insurance card)
- Laboratory diagnostics to exclude infectious diseases, o e. g. examination for rubella, Hepatitis B or HIV
- Examination and consultation after birth
Midwife assistance
- Support during pregnancy
- Birth assistance
- Support for woman in the first week after birth
- Advice on breastfeeding problems
- Birth preparation course
- Post-natal gymnastics
Hospital
For women who are at the hospital for childbirth, all medical necessary services are covered by your health insurance card and no co-payments are required.
Please note that if you choose additional services such as a single room or chief physician treatment at the hospital, you will receive a private invoice. These services are not reimbursable by Merck BKK.
Do I have to inform Merck BKK about my pregnancy?
Unfortunately we are not automatically informed about your pregnancy. For employees the doctor will certify the expected date of birth for the employer. It´s important to make sure, that the Merck BKK will receive a copy of this to send you all information about benefits while pregnancy, just in time. We need the certificate to calculate your maternity leave and maternity allowance.
FAQ Maternity Allowance
Who receives maternity allowance?
To provide financial security for pregnant women, insured women in an employment receive maternity allowance. Even if you get “Arbeitslosengeld I/ unemployment benefit I”, you can receive maternity allowance.
More related info:
How long is the claim valid of maternity allowance?
Maternity allowance will be paid regularly for 6 weeks before the expected date of birth and 8 weeks after the birth (in the event of multiple, premature birth or the birth of a disabled child, the allowance will be paid for 12 weeks after the birth).
What is the amount of maternity allowance?
Within maternity leave you will receive up to 13 € every calendar day. Your employer will pay the difference to your net salary.
When do I have to apply for maternity allowance?
As soon as you receive the certificate of the expected date of birth please send a copy to your Merck BKK and your employer. We will automatically send you the application for maternity allowance 7 weeks before the expecting date of birth. We will also contact your employer to calculate the maternity allowance. As soon as we have received all documents you will receive the payment for the first 6 weeks.
Please send us the certificate of birth as soon as possible after childbirth. Afterwards you will receive the payment for the 8 or 12 weeks after birth (see the explanation above). We will also send you a certificate for the “Elterngeldstelle/ parent allowance office”. You need this certificate for applying to the parent allowance.
Where can I apply for “Elterngeld/parent allowance” and “Elternzeit/parental leave”?
“Parent allowance” is paid by the “Parent allowance office”. Which office is responsible for you, depends on the federal state and town you are living in. You can find the right office at the following homepage:
www.elterngeld.net/elterngeldstellen.html
You must inform your employer about the planed “parantal leave”. The employer must approve it.
Merck BKK wishes you a beautiful pregnancy and all the best for your family
FAQ “Klapperstorch (Stork) Program”
What kind of allowances are available during the pregnancy?
We participate in additional services during pregnancy with 85% up to a maximum amount of 300 €. How the subsidy of 300 € is composed, you can see in the list below.
| Insured by Merck BKK | Refunds up to |
|---|---|
| Mother and husband/ life partner | 300 € |
| Only mother | 200 € |
| Only father/ life partner | 100 € |
What benefits are reimbursed during pregnancy?
The statutory health benefits are covered by the health insurance card. However, there are still benefits that cannot be paid by us. For these benefits you will receive private bills from your doctor. The following benefits are examples of services who are not recommended by Merck BKK. These benefits will be offered to you at the doctor’s, in addition to the contractual benefits.
- 3D – Ultrasound
- First-trimester screening (method used to detect the down syndrome)
- Femibion (supplements during and after pregnancy)
- Toxoplasmosetest (Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease that is often transmitted by cats)
- Birth preparation course for partners (if only the father/life partner is a member of Merck BKK)
- Family room during hospital for childbirth (if only the father/life partner also admitted and member of Merck BKK)
What kind of allowances are available for newborns in the first year of life?
If your child is also insured with the Merck BKK, we participate in additional services for newborns in the first year of life with 85% up to a maximum amount of 200 €.
What benefits are reimbursed for newborns in the first year of life?
The statutory health benefits for newborns are also covered by the health insurance card. However, there are still benefits that cannot be paid by us. For these benefits you will receive private bills from your doctor. The following services are examples for additional private treatments.
- Screening for newborns
- Hearscreening for newborns
- Heartscreening
- Renal sonography
How do I get a refund under the “Klapperstorch (Stork) program”?
The flyer will be sent automatically as soon as we receive the certificate of the expected delivery date or you contact us.
Please send us all invoices from your pre-natal care, together with the “Klapperstorch” brochure after your childbirth as soon as possible. A prior interim payment is not possible. Please send us the bills of your child after the first year of life in the “Klapperstorch” envelope. When we receive the invoices, we will reimburse the amount to your bank account.
If you have further questions you can