The costs of treatment for patients without health insurance coverage are generally covered by the relevant public health department or through benefits provided under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act (AsylbLG) or the Social Code (SGB XII). Tuberculosis is a notifiable disease under the Infection Protection Act (IfSG), and support during the lengthy course of treatment helps prevent patients from discontinuing therapy, which in turn can lead to relapses and the further spread of the disease. For people without health insurance, applications for coverage of treatment costs can be submitted, for example, to the social services office. If there is no entity to cover the costs, the responsible public health department can be contacted first. If hospitalization is necessary, the hospital’s social services department often coordinates cost coverage with the social services authorities to ensure seamless continuity of care after discharge.

An online decision-making tool to help determine which insurance provider is responsible for covering costs in various living situations will soon be available under the "Social and Medical Resources" section on No1Lost.