Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse

AOK (Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse) is the collective brand of Germany's statutory local health insurance funds. Under the name AOK – Die Gesundheitskasse, eleven legally independent health insurance funds operate today, six covering a single federal state and five covering multiple states following mergers between 2006 and 2012. Together they insure around 27 million people, giving the AOK group a market share of roughly 37% of Germany's statutory health insurance market. The funds are public-law corporations (Körperschaften des öffentlichen Rechts) subject to state-level supervision, and each AOK also functions as a long-term care insurance fund (Pflegekasse). The AOKs trace their origins to 1884, when local health insurance funds were established immediately after the introduction of statutory health insurance in 1883 on the initiative of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Initially there were around 8,200 such funds, to which workers were assigned if they had no other coverage. Over time they were organized at the district level and consolidated through administrative reforms. The 1992 Health Structure Act introduced free choice of health insurer and competition, triggering a wave of mergers that reduced nearly 300 AOKs to eleven. Since 1996, supervisory authorities have had the power to close AOKs for insufficient performance, though this has never happened. The AOKs present themselves publicly under the unified brand AOK – Die Gesundheitskasse. They are represented at federal level by the AOK-Bundesverband, an association (Arbeitsgemeinschaft) in the form of a civil-law partnership (GbR) based in Berlin. The Bundesverband handles political representation, product development, brand management and financial management within the AOK liability network. Its management board is chaired by Dr. Carola Reimann, with Jens Martin Hoyer as deputy chairman. The AOK group employs around 60,000 people and operates roughly 1,032 offices and service points. In 2021, daily benefit expenditures for healthcare amounted to €271 million. AOK offers statutory medical insurance covering doctor visits, hospital stays, operations, medications, dental care and preventive healthcare, as well as nursing care insurance. Contributions are generally paid directly from salary by the employer. The group also provides digital services through apps such as "Meine AOK" for online administrative tasks, "AOK Mein Leben" for personal health records, and "AOK Schwanger" for pregnancy and birth information. The AOKs maintain offices in France and the Netherlands, though the Mallorca service point closed at the end of 2017. The AOK-Bundesverband also publishes the monthly magazine G+G (Gesundheit und Gesellschaft) and runs the Scientific Institute of the AOK (WIdO), founded in 1976.

The Allgemeine Ortskrankenkassen (AOKs) were founded in 1884, immediately after the introduction of statutory health insurance in 1883, on the initiative of Reich Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Initially there were 8,200 local funds, to which workers were assigned if they were not insured elsewhere. From 1892, salaried employees and home workers could also become members alongside industrial workers. Over time, the AOKs were organized at the district level and reduced in number following district administrative reforms. In many large towns, administrative buildings were constructed that are still often referred to as AOK buildings or health insurance fund buildings and are sometimes still used as such. The Health Structure Act (Gesundheitsstrukturgesetz) of 1992 introduced free choice of health insurance fund for the insured and free competition among funds, leading to a further wave of mergers that reduced the then nearly 300 AOKs to eleven. Since the end of primary responsibility in 1996, supervisory authorities have been able to close local health insurance funds for insufficient performance, though this has never occurred. After the merger waves triggered by the 1992 act, the AOKs were reduced from 300 to 17 funds, mostly covering exactly one federal state. However, because some structures had grown historically, North Rhine-Westphalia has two AOKs: AOK Nordwest and AOK Rheinland/Hamburg. Currently, eleven legally independent AOKs exist, six covering one state and five covering multiple states due to mergers between 2006 and 2012. The AOKs are represented at federal level by the AOK-Bundesverband, an association (Arbeitsgemeinschaft) under the Social Code (SGB X) in the form of a civil-law partnership (Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts). Its core tasks include representing interests before federal politics and at European level, before the GKV-Spitzenverband and the AOKs' contractual partners at federal level, as well as developing new products, brand management and financial management within the AOK liability network. The Bundesverband is based in Berlin at Rosenthaler Str. 31; until October 2008 it was located in Bonn. Since January 1, 2022, Carola Reimann has been chairwoman of the board; Jens Martin Hoyer is deputy chairman. The supervisory board is alternately chaired by Susanne Wagenmann (employer side) and Knut Lambertin (insured persons' side). Before January 1, 2009, the AOK-Bundesverband was a public-law corporation; after the establishment of the GKV-Spitzenverband by the GKV-Wirtschaftlichkeitsstärkungsgesetz, it was converted into a civil-law partnership on January 1, 2009. Sovereign tasks previously performed by the Bundesverband and other top associations of health insurance funds were transferred to the GKV-Spitzenverband on July 1, 2008. The Scientific Institute of the AOK (WIdO), founded in 1976, is an independent unit with about 75 employees. Since 1995, the AOK-Bundesverband, together with the Berlin Medical Association and AOK Nordost, has annually awarded the Berlin Health Prize. It also awards the Fritz Schösser Media Prize every two years, first presented in 2020, to strengthen public understanding of complex health policy issues; the prize is endowed with a total of €20,000. The AOK-Bundesverband publishes the monthly G+G Medien (Gesundheit und Gesellschaft), which includes the G+G magazine, G+G Special on key topics, G+G Science with scientific analyses, and G+G Update with current news. As of July 2022, the AOKs had around 60,000 employees and about 1,032 offices and service points as of November 2022. In 2021, the eleven AOKs had 20.9 million members on annual average, corresponding to a market share of 37% and slightly over one third of Germany's population. Daily benefit expenditures for healthcare amounted to €271 million in 2021. The AOKs maintain offices in France and the Netherlands; the service point in Mallorca was closed at the end of 2017.

• 2022

  Carola Reimann becomes Chairwoman of the Management Board of the AOK-Bundesverband (January 1).

• 2020

  First award of the Fritz Schösser Media Prize by the AOK-Bundesverband.

• 2017

  Service point in Mallorca closed at the end of the year.

• 2012

  End of merger wave; eleven AOKs remain, five covering multiple states.

• 2009

  AOK-Bundesverband converted from public-law corporation to civil-law partnership (January 1).

• 2008

  AOK-Bundesverband moves from Bonn to Berlin (October); sovereign tasks transferred to GKV-Spitzenverband (July 1).

• 2006

  Start of merger wave among AOKs leading to multi-state funds.

• 1996

  End of primary responsibility; supervisory authorities may close AOKs for insufficient performance (never used).

• 1995

  AOK-Bundesverband, Berlin Medical Association and AOK Nordost begin awarding the Berlin Health Prize annually.

• 1992

  Health Structure Act introduces free choice of health insurance fund and competition, triggering mergers that reduce nearly 300 AOKs to eleven.

• 1976

  Founding of the Scientific Institute of the AOK (WIdO).

• 1892

  Salaried employees and home workers allowed to become members alongside industrial workers.

• 1884

  Founding of the Ortskrankenkassen (local health insurance funds) on the initiative of Otto von Bismarck; initially 8,200 funds.

• 1883

  Introduction of statutory health insurance in Germany.

Germany's largest statutory health insurance group, emphasizing accessibility, family coverage, and comprehensive benefits under a unified brand.

• Statutory medical insurance

  Covers doctor visits, hospital stays, operations, medications, dental appointments and preventive healthcare.

• Long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung)

  Each AOK also operates as a Pflegekasse under SGB XI.

• Meine AOK app

  Online portal app for handling health insurance matters via smartphone.

• AOK Mein Leben app

  Allows users to view their personal patient record anytime, anywhere.

• AOK Schwanger app

  Provides answers, tips and information for pregnancy.

1. 1Medical insurance with AOKaok.de
2. 2AOK Legal Noticeaok.de
3. 3Die Apps der AOKaok.de
4. 4Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org