IGeL stands for individuelle Gesundheitsleistungen. These are services a practice offers that the gesetzliche Krankenkasse does not pay for, either because their benefit is not proven well enough or because they go beyond what the Kassen are required to cover. If you want them, you pay for them yourself.
Typical examples are a großes Blutbild or other blood tests without a concrete medical reason, some extra ultrasound checks, and some sports and travel checks. Prices follow the private fee schedule for doctors, so the same service can cost different amounts at different practices.
Two protections are worth knowing. A practice must tell you before the service that it is an IGeL and what it costs, in writing, and you should never feel pressured to decide on the spot. And you can look up how useful a given IGeL is: the independent IGeL-Monitor reviews the evidence behind the most common ones in plain language.
The opposite of an IGeL is a Kassenleistung, a service your Krankenkasse pays for, like the Check-up 35 or a blood test your doctor orders because of symptoms.
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.
