The Ärzteversorgung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (physicians’ pension scheme, Versorgungswerk) serves the medical chamber members in the north-east of Germany. For career starters it matters mainly because two payments run in parallel and are easy to confuse: the chamber contribution and the pension contribution. This guide shows how to separate them and which rules govern the exemption from statutory pension insurance.
Short answer: The Ärzteversorgung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a separate pension scheme with its own statutes. The chamber contribution of the Ärztekammer Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is different from it. The exemption from statutory pension insurance is governed by § 6 SGB VI and runs through the scheme. We have not taken a verified figure for the pension contribution from a checked primary source. Last updated: October 2026. Please ask the chamber.
The most important points
- The Ärzteversorgung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has its own statutes, separate from the chamber contribution.
- The chamber contribution of the Ärztekammer Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a percentage of income with a minimum and a maximum amount.
- The contribution order of the chamber, in the version of 17 January 2024, sets 0.6 percent, at least 26 euros and at most 5,000 euros per year.
- These figures concern the chamber contribution, not the pension contribution.
- The exemption from statutory pension insurance is governed by § 6 SGB VI.
- Current values and benefits are set out in the statutes of the scheme.
Chamber contribution or pension contribution: what is what?
Many doctors receive two notices that sound similar. The chamber contribution funds the chamber as a corporate body. The pension contribution funds the scheme that later pays the pension. Both are provided for by law, but the calculations follow different statutes.
| Item | Chamber contribution | Pension contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Responsible body | Ärztekammer Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | Ärzteversorgung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |
| Legal basis | Contribution order of the chamber | Statutes of the scheme |
| Rate according to the source | 0.6 percent of income from medical work (version 2024) | Not taken from the checked source |
| Minimum and maximum according to the source | 26 euros and 5,000 euros per year | Not taken from the checked source |
Last updated: October 2026. The chamber order names 17 January 2024 as its latest amendment. The text does not clearly state whether this version applies from 1 January 2024, so ask the chamber for the validity date before you pass on any figure.
When does the exemption from statutory pension insurance apply?
The exemption is set out in § 6 SGB VI. Employees and self-employed people who are by law members of a pension scheme and of a chamber can be exempt, provided three conditions are met. The chamber order does not regulate the exemption itself, which is a matter for the law.
| Subsection | Content | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| § 6 para. 1 | Exemption where membership in the scheme and the chamber is required by law | The obligation must be required by law |
| § 6 para. 2 | Application filed electronically through the scheme | Receipt at the scheme counts for deadlines |
| § 6 para. 5 | Applies only to the specific employment | A change requires a new check |
Self-employed doctors face a special rule in the chamber contribution assessment. Half of the maximum contributions to pension, long-term care and unemployment insurance can be deducted from business income. This deduction does not apply if you also have employed income. The rule sits in the chamber order, not in the scheme statutes.
Which benefits does the Ärzteversorgung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern offer?
The main focus is old-age provision. Disability and survivors’ benefits are set differently depending on the statutes, so read the current version directly. The office can tell you the status of the benefits on request.
Pension payments from statutory pension insurance and from the scheme are excluded when the chamber contribution is assessed. This relieves members with pension income, but it does not replace your own retirement planning.
Does the scheme suit your path?
- It fits well if you work permanently in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and plan the scheme as part of your old-age provision.
- It fits less well if you are likely to move to another German state. Then reciprocal arrangements and the statutes of both schemes decide.
- It needs supplementing if disability cover matters to you and the statutes give no clear answer.
A personal assessment of your situation is available through the advice at Academycon, details at How we work.
Frequently asked questions
Is the chamber contribution my pension contribution?
No. The chamber contribution funds the chamber, the pension contribution funds the scheme. Both have their own basis and their own notices. Put them side by side before you compare anything.
Which income counts for employed doctors?
The chamber order names gross salary less professional expenses for employees, plus certain payments such as overtime, standby duty and severance. For the pension contribution the statutes of the scheme apply, so check both sets of rules separately.
How can I get a reduction?
The chamber order provides reductions for work that is purely administrative, organisational or teaching, for example 20 percent for purely administrative tasks without patient contact. The application has to be made in writing every year and must be documented.
Can I be exempt from statutory pension insurance?
Yes, if the conditions of § 6 SGB VI are met. The application runs electronically through the scheme, and the exemption applies to the activity concerned.
Where do I find the current figures?
In the statutes of the scheme and on the chamber website. If you are unsure, ask the office which version is valid. This avoids calculating with outdated values.
What to do now
- Keep the chamber contribution and the pension contribution apart in your paperwork.
- Ask the Ärztekammer Mecklenburg-Vorpommern for the valid date of its contribution order.
- Read the statutes of the Ärzteversorgung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on contributions, exemption and benefits.
- File the exemption application through the scheme as soon as your compulsory work begins.
- Have your disability cover checked in a personal consultation.
Related guides
- Doctors in postgraduate training: combining PKV, pension scheme and disability cover
- Career start after university in Germany: your guide to the first job
- Ärzteversorgung Hamburg: contributions, exemption and benefits
- Ärzteversorgung Hessen: contributions, exemption and benefits
Sources: § 6 SGB VI, exemption from compulsory insurance (gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved October 2026, in German); Contribution order of the Ärztekammer Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, version of 17 January 2024 (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
