Hamburg's uninsured migrants left without healthcare as emergency funds run dry

Uninsured migrants in Hamburg have faced a critical gap in healthcare access since mid-May 2023. The city’s emergency assistance program, designed to cover essential treatments, ran out of funds after only a fraction of the requested budget was approved. This has left many without coverage for urgent medical needs. The Clearing Office at Hamburg’s Refugee Center helps uninsured individuals access standard healthcare or funds urgent treatments through a municipal emergency program. Demand for its services has grown sharply, with consultations rising from 284 in 2012 to over 2,300 in 2024. Yet the budget was never increased to match this need.

In 2024 alone, 678 of 781 clients received funding approval, with around €718,000 spent on treatments and prescriptions. However, in May 2023, the city approved only about one-fifth of an additional €500,000 request. This left the fund exhausted for new cases. The Senate has stated that the Clearing Office operates as a voluntary service, with funding dependent on budget decisions and current fiscal limits.

Medinetz, a network providing healthcare to uninsured individuals, has criticised the city’s austerity measures. The organisation is now calling on Hamburg to fulfil its coalition agreement by releasing the required funds immediately and creating a sustainable, needs-based financing model. Without the emergency program’s support, many uninsured migrants risk going without treatment. This could lead to deteriorating health and life-threatening outcomes. The city’s failure to allocate sufficient funds has left the system unable to assist new patients for the rest of the year.