Civil servant health aid (Beihilfe) in Saxony covers a share of your medical costs, and private health insurance covers the rest. The Saxon Beihilfe ordinance (SächsBhVO) sets the share. This guide explains how the rate works, what your co-payment is and when a private insurance policy fits alongside Beihilfe.
Short answer: In Saxony, Beihilfe follows section 57 of the Saxon Beihilfe ordinance. Beneficiaries with children get a higher rate. Without children we name 50 percent, with one child 70 percent (secondary source, status October 2026). Spouses are only covered up to an income limit, which is 20,180 euros for 2026 according to the administrative regulation. Whether you can choose a flat-rate aid is for the Beihilfe office to clarify, because the information on it is contradictory.
Key points
- The rate (Bemessungssatz) decides what share of eligible costs Beihilfe covers. It is set in section 57 of the Saxon Beihilfe ordinance (SächsBhVO).
- Beneficiaries with children get a higher rate under section 57 subsection 3 sentence 1, as the administrative regulation confirms.
- Spouses count only if their total income stays below the limit. The limit is 20,180 euros for 2026 and 21,290 euros for 2027, subject to further pay adjustments.
- Whether you can choose a flat-rate aid is for the Beihilfe office to clarify, because the information on it is contradictory.
- Your co-payment is the part of the bill that Beihilfe does not cover. Your private tariff pays some of it, and you pay the rest.
How high is the rate in Saxony?
The rate determines what percentage of your eligible costs Beihilfe covers. In Saxony, it is set in section 57 of the ordinance. The administrative regulation (version 1 July 2025) does not state the percentages itself, but refers to section 57. For beneficiaries with children, section 57 subsection 3 sentence 1 provides a higher rate, even if the child is itself eligible for Beihilfe. Read the wording of section 57 in the Saxon legal database before you work with specific percentages. The Beihilfe office can also confirm the rate in writing.
| Item | Rule in Saxony | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Rate | Set in section 57 SächsBhVO, higher for beneficiaries with children | Administrative regulation to the SächsBhVO, version 1 July 2025 |
| Spouses | Beihilfe only below the income limit: 20,180 euros for 2026, 21,290 euros for 2027 | Administrative regulation no. 4.2.4, subject to further pay adjustments |
| Flat-rate aid | Whether you can choose it is for the Beihilfe office to clarify (contradictory information) | Saxon justice ministry, March 2024 |
| Entitlement with private insurance | Under section 80 of the Saxon Civil Servant Act (Sächsisches Beamtengesetz) | Saxon justice ministry, March 2024 |
How do you calculate your co-payment?
Your co-payment depends on the rate, the amount of the bill and the benefits of your tariff. The worked example shows the logic. The percentage is an assumption for an example without children. Take the actual rate from section 57 of the ordinance.
Assumption: the rate is 50 percent, for illustration only. The bill is 1,000 euros.
- Eligible costs: 1,000.00 euros.
- Beihilfe share at 50 percent: 500.00 euros.
- Remainder you have to carry: 1,000.00 euros minus 500.00 euros equals 500.00 euros.
- Your tariff pays part of this remainder, depending on the reimbursement rate and your deductible. What is left over is your actual co-payment.
Whether your tariff covers the remainder fully or only in part shows up in the settlement itself. Ask your insurer for a sample settlement before you commit.
Flat-rate aid or individual Beihilfe?
Whether you can choose a flat-rate aid is for the Beihilfe office to clarify, because the information on it is contradictory. The flat-rate option does not settle every bill individually. Whether it pays off depends on how high your yearly costs are and which benefits you regularly need. A flat-rate option is therefore not automatically cheaper, so calculate it for your own case.
When does private insurance fit alongside Beihilfe?
Private health insurance complements Beihilfe. It fits if you need benefits that go beyond the Beihilfe share and if you plan for how contributions develop in later life. It fits less well if you expect very few treatments or if your life situation is still uncertain. If you are not eligible for Beihilfe, you need a different solution. For a detailed calculation of your situation, Academycon offers personal advice (in German): So arbeiten wir.
Frequently asked questions
Does the higher rate also apply if my child is eligible for Beihilfe too?
Yes. According to the administrative regulation, the higher rate under section 57 subsection 3 sentence 1 applies even if the child is itself eligible for Beihilfe. Check your notice in each case, because it shows which rate was applied to you.
Does my spouse automatically receive Beihilfe?
No. Spousal Beihilfe depends on the total income. The administrative regulation gives 20,180 euros for 2026 and 21,290 euros for 2027, subject to further pay adjustments. If the income is above the limit, the spouse is not eligible.
Is Beihilfe a full reimbursement?
No. Beihilfe covers only a share of eligible costs. You must cover the rest through insurance or pay it yourself. Many people underestimate the yearly total.
Does Beihilfe also apply during the traineeship?
Yes, if you are a civil servant on probation and privately insured. In a public-law training relationship, compulsory statutory insurance applies instead. For details, read Teacher training insurance: from studies to traineeship or the German guide Rechtsreferendariat in Sachsen (in German).
Who issues the Beihilfe guidance in Saxony?
The Saxon Landesamt für Steuern und Finanzen publishes Beihilfe information sheets. Ask there, or at your Beihilfe office, which documents you need and which deadlines apply.
Next steps
- Check your status: are you eligible for Beihilfe, and is your spouse counted within the income limit?
- Read section 57 SächsBhVO in the Saxon legal database and calculate your co-payment with the rate that applies to you.
- If you are voluntarily statutory or fully privately insured, compare individual Beihilfe with the flat-rate option.
- Get any information from the Beihilfe office in writing before you sign a tariff.
Related guides
- Civil Servant Health Aid: Rates and How It Works
- Civil Servant Health Aid During Training: Rates and Claims
- Health insurance during clerkship: GKV, PKV and Beihilfe
- Rechtsreferendariat in Sachsen
- Glossar Beihilfe (in German)
Sources: administrative regulation on the Saxon Beihilfe ordinance (version 1 July 2025, in German); Rechtsreferendare in Sachsen: summary of the Saxon justice ministry (March 2024, in German); covago.de: Beihilfe for trainees by state (secondary source, status October 2026).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
