Costs and reimbursement
FaceFormer and health insuranceWhat is realistic
Does German statutory health insurance pay for the FaceFormer? Here you will find the current situation, the difference between medical aids and therapeutic services, how an application for cost coverage works and what applies to private health insurance, Beihilfe and tax. With a template for your cover letter.
Does this sound familiar?
You have chosen the FaceFormer, and now it is about the money
What applies to you?
Tap whatever applies to you.
The honest short answer first: German statutory health insurance generally does not cover the FaceFormer itself. Read on to find out which routes still exist and where they end.
What the insurer assessesTemplate cover letterThe key points at a glance
- The FaceFormer is a Class I medical device, but it is not listed in the directory of medical aids of the statutory health insurers. As a rule, the insurers do not cover the costs.
- The directory is not an exhaustive list. An individual application is possible, requires a sound medical justification and should be made before the purchase. There is no commitment in advance.
- The insurer pays for prescribed speech therapy or physiotherapy as a therapeutic service; the device for use at home is not included. Private insurance, Beihilfe and tax follow their own rules.
Current situation
FaceFormer and health insurance: the situation in 2026
The question of cost coverage is one of the most frequent ones our support team receives. The answer is shorter than many hope, but it has nuances.
The FaceFormer is a Class I medical device under the European Medical Device Regulation (MDR) and has been on the market since 2000. It is made of medical silicone and is the training device with which you practise the basic functions of breathing, swallowing and head balance.
Being a medical device does not, however, mean that a health insurer will pay for it. Separate rules in the German Social Code apply to that, and those are what this page is about.
Medical device, non-invasive, on the market since 2000
for “FaceFormer” in the product search of the directory of medical aids, checked on 28.09.20261
is the price of a FaceFormer ZERO or ONE in the shop, with free shipping (as of September 2026)
This is why our support team answers the question as follows: the statutory insurers generally do not cover the FaceFormer itself. People who have heard otherwise often mean a different route, such as speech therapy on prescription in which a practice works with the FaceFormer. We explain these routes to you. However, nobody can give you a commitment for your case in advance.
Terms
Medical aid or therapeutic service? Two routes, two sets of rules
Anyone who asks their insurer for a prescription ends up in one of two benefit areas. Which one it is determines everything else.
A medical aid (Hilfsmittel) is a physical item or technical product3. Insured persons are entitled to one if, in the individual case, it is necessary to secure the success of medical treatment, to prevent an impending disability or to compensate for a disability2. A typical example is the CPAP device for sleep apnoea. A therapeutic service (Heilmittel), on the other hand, is a treatment that a qualified professional provides in person9.
Medical aid
- An item, for example a hearing aid, an insole or a CPAP device
- The legal basis is § 33 SGB V (German Social Code, Book V)2
- The insurer assesses the individual case, for new products often with an expert opinion from the Medical Service (Medizinischer Dienst)
- Co-payment from age 18: 10 per cent, at least 5 and at most 10 euros8
Therapeutic service
Under the age of 18, there are no co-payments for therapeutic services and medical aids from statutory health insurance27.
The FaceFormer as a device is a candidate for the medical aid route. Speech therapy or physiotherapy in which a practice works with it follows the therapeutic service route. The two routes ask about different things. That is why the insurer’s answers vary so much depending on what you apply for.
A medical aid takes over a function. A training device demands it.The medical aid system is built for items that support or compensate for something. A device with which you relearn a function yourself fits less well into this framework.
Individual application
Not in the directory of medical aids: what the insurer assesses
The fact that the FaceFormer is not listed in the directory does not settle the question. It shifts it to the individual case.
The directory of medical aids lists the aids covered by the obligation to provide benefits4. It is not an exhaustive list. The assessment guidelines of the Medical Service state explicitly that the directory is not a positive list3. A product that is not included can therefore still be paid for in an individual case. The insurer then carries out its own assessment, often with an expert opinion from the Medical Service.
Necessary in the individual case?
Does the device secure the success of medical treatment, prevent a disability or compensate for one? For this, the insurer needs a medical justification2.
Not an everyday item?
General everyday items are excluded from the entitlement2.
Benefit proven?
The medical benefit must be demonstrated. The assessors base this on § 70 SGB V and a 2012 ruling of the Federal Social Court (Bundessozialgericht)3.
Part of a new method?
If a novel medical aid is inseparably linked to a treatment method that the Federal Joint Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss) has not yet recognised, there is no entitlement according to several rulings of the Federal Social Court3.
Decision
The insurer decides in writing and gives reasons for its decision. You can lodge an objection against a rejection.
It is the last two criteria in particular that make an application for a training device difficult. We are not aware of any assessment of FaceFormer therapy by the Federal Joint Committee. Whether an expert opinion will classify the training as a method in its own right cannot be said in advance. With statutory health insurance, you should therefore expect a rejection rather than approval, and see an application as an attempt, not a formality.
Evidence
What is proven and what is not
Anyone who wants to justify a benefit to the insurer should know the state of the research. Here it is, honestly put into context.
There is one randomised study on FaceFormer therapy. At the Department of Orthodontics in Hamburg, children were randomly assigned to treatment either with the FaceFormer or with myofunctional therapy without a device in speech therapy practices. Both groups improved. In the FaceFormer group, the tongue rested against the palate more often during swallowing, and lip closure was achieved more quickly16.
aged between three and 16 in the Hamburg study, randomly assigned to two treatment routes and observed for six months16
with muscle-related jaw pain in a peer-reviewed study from Jena, with a comparison group without training, over twelve weeks17
In the study from Jena, pain scores fell in the training groups but not in the group without training. It does not describe how the groups were formed17. Everything else consists of pilot observations and conference posters. You will find the complete overview with all limitations under Studies and science.
The absence of a study does not mean that the connection does not exist. It means that it has not been tested.For an application to the health insurer, that remains a hurdle. In our view, training that changes a coupled pattern of breathing, swallowing and head balance fits poorly into a framework tailored to one item and one endpoint.
Step by step
Applying for cost coverage: how to proceed
If you want to try with your statutory health insurer, the order of steps is what matters most.
The most important rule first: apply first, then buy. By law, the insurer only reimburses the costs of a service you have obtained yourself if it was unable to provide an urgent service in time or wrongly refused a service5. If you buy beforehand, it has had no opportunity to decide.
The insurer must decide promptly, within three weeks at the latest, or within five weeks if it obtains an expert opinion. If it cannot meet the deadline, it must inform you in good time and give reasons5.
- Step 1
Discussion at the practice
Talk to your medical or dental practice about your findings and about why functional training with a device makes sense for you.
- Step 2
Prescription with justification
A medical prescription with a diagnosis and a brief justification strengthens the application. If it names the impaired function, such as mouth breathing or an altered swallowing pattern, the goal becomes tangible.
- Step 3
Application before purchase
Send the application, prescription and product details to your insurer. The template further down will help you with the wording.
- Step 4
Wait for the decision
Three weeks, or five weeks with an expert opinion. Keep all letters.
- Step 5
Objection in the event of rejection
You have one month after the decision has been notified to you6. Explain what, in your view, was not taken into account.
Weigh up the effort. For a device costing 39.90 euros, the time spent on the application, expert opinion and objection can weigh more heavily than the amount itself. If you want to start training straight away, you do not have to wait for a decision, but you will then bear the costs yourself.
Template
Template: cover letter to the health insurer
An application does not require any particular form, but it should be complete. You can adopt and adapt this template.
Put the letter into your own words and only include what applies to you. You fill in the details in square brackets yourself. What matters is the justification from your practice, not the length of the letter.
- Sender: name, address, insurance number
- Subject: Application for cost coverage for a medical aid (FaceFormer, Class I medical device)
- Application: I hereby apply for coverage of the costs of a FaceFormer. I will postpone the purchase until you have made your decision.
- Findings: According to the enclosed medical prescription dated [date], I have [diagnosis], associated with [impaired function, for example mouth breathing or an altered swallowing pattern].
- Justification: With the device, I practise lip closure, nasal breathing, the swallowing sequence and head balance in everyday life. It is intended to secure the success of my treatment [if applicable: alongside the prescribed speech therapy or physiotherapy].
- Costs: 39.90 euros including VAT, supplier Dr. Berndsen GmbH.
- Request: I request a written decision within the deadline set out in § 13(3a) SGB V.
- Enclosures: medical prescription with justification, product description, medical reports if applicable
Name the function
The justification becomes strong when it describes the impaired function and what the training is intended to change about it.
Link to treatment
If speech therapy, physiotherapy or orthodontic treatment is ongoing, this belongs in the application.
State the time frame
The training is designed to last six to twelve months. This information helps the insurer to assess the need.
Our support team answers questions about the device on 02303 89991. Only your insurer decides on your application, which is why we cannot give you any commitment.
Therapeutic service
Prescription for speech therapy: the treatment, not the device
The most practicable route via statutory health insurance is not through the device, but through a prescribed treatment.
According to the directive of the Federal Joint Committee, therapeutic services are medical services to be provided in person9. The insurer therefore pays for the treatment at the practice, not for a device for use at home. Medical practices can prescribe them and, for the mouth and jaw area, dental practices can too. The dental catalogue of therapeutic services has its own groups for this1011.
OFZ: orofacial dysfunctions
Speech and language therapy, for example for habitual mouth breathing or oral habits. According to the catalogue, one of the aims is to change the functional pattern10. Why the tongue plays a role in this is explained in the article on the tongue reference position.
SCZ: disorders of the oral phase of swallowing
Swallowing therapy, for example for tongue dysfunction or visceral swallowing10. More on this in the article Swallowing and swallowing disorders.
SPZ: speech disorders
Speech and language therapy for disorders of sound production in the mouth, jaw and facial area, including tongue dysfunction10.
CD1 and CD2: craniomandibular disorders
Physiotherapy such as remedial exercise or manual therapy for jaw joint and muscle disorders11. Background in the article Understanding TMD.
What the exercises look like within a prescribed treatment is up to the practice within the scope of the prescription. Some speech therapy, physiotherapy and dental practices work with the FaceFormer. You can find them in the practitioner directory.
Some practices hand out the device themselves as part of their treatment, others ask you to obtain it. Ask them directly. A practice is an option, not a requirement: with the free app and the exercise pages, you can also train on your own.
Private health insurance and Beihilfe
Private health insurance and Beihilfe: the terms decide
People with private insurance and those entitled to Beihilfe have different rules, but the same basic question: does what is written in your terms cover this device?
With private health insurance, the type and amount of benefits are determined by your policy and its terms and conditions. According to the model conditions of the Association of Private Health Insurers (PKV-Verband), medical aids must be prescribed by a medical or dental practice12. Some policies have an exhaustive list of reimbursable medical aids, known as a closed catalogue of medical aids. Others are worded more openly.
Private health insurance
Read your policy terms or ask in writing before you buy, then submit with a prescription. If the FaceFormer does not fall under any suitable entry in a closed catalogue, reimbursement is unlikely.
Federal Beihilfe
Medical aids prescribed by a doctor are eligible for Beihilfe if they are necessary in the individual case and listed in Annex 11 of the Federal Beihilfe Ordinance. Item 19.4 there lists a “jaw muscle trainer” (Kiefermuskeltrainer). Whether your Beihilfe office classifies the FaceFormer under this is for it to decide13.
Beihilfe of the federal states
The federal states have their own Beihilfe regulations. Ask your Beihilfe office which list applies to you.
Supplementary insurance
Some supplementary policies reimburse medical aids or health services up to an annual amount. Here, too, the wording of your contract is decisive.
With federal Beihilfe, there are two exclusions you should be aware of. Medical aids with little or disputed therapeutic benefit and those with a low retail price are not eligible13. How your office interprets this for the FaceFormer can only be clarified by asking. It is best to submit the same documents to Beihilfe and to your private insurer.
You have already bought the FaceFormer. Is it still worth submitting the invoice now?
Tax
Deducting healthcare costs from your taxes
If nobody pays, there is still your tax return. This route has a hurdle that many people overlook.
Medical expenses can count as extraordinary expenses under § 33 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG). However, only the part that exceeds your reasonable burden threshold is deducted14. For this threshold, all medical expenses of a year are added together, such as co-payments or personal contributions. A single device costing 39.90 euros will therefore only have an effect if further costs arise in the same year.
of income is the reasonable burden threshold, depending on the level of income, marital status and number of children14
the medical prescription for a medical aid must be issued for it to count as proof15
Many people overlook the second hurdle. As proof for therapeutic services and medical aids, the German Income Tax Implementation Ordinance (EStDV) requires a prescription from a medical practice or a Heilpraktiker (non-medical practitioner) practice, issued before the purchase15. A certificate written only after the purchase is not sufficient. So keep the prescription and invoice together.
This is an overview, not tax advice. Clarify how your costs will affect your tax with your tax adviser or an income tax assistance association (Lohnsteuerhilfeverein).
Children
FaceFormer for children: health insurance, speech therapy and kids’ set
With children, the question of costs often comes up together with ongoing speech therapy or orthodontic treatment.
For children and young people under the age of 18, there are no co-payments for therapeutic services and medical aids from statutory health insurance27. Prescribed speech therapy therefore involves no personal contribution for families. However, even for children the insurer generally does not cover the device for the exercises at home.
For children aged 2 to 10, the FaceFormer ZERO is recommended. It is exactly the same size as the ONE, only made of softer material. The ZERO Kids Set costs 59.90 euros and, in addition to the device, contains a hygiene box, the plush pouch My Facy, a success book and a wooden stamp.
For children under four, it is best for the training to be supported by a qualified practice. What the exercise plan for children looks like is described under FaceFormer for children.
Paying yourself
Paying yourself: what to expect
If the cost stays with you, it is worth taking a sober look at the actual costs.
A FaceFormer ZERO or ONE costs 39.90 euros, the set of ZERO and ONE 64.33 euros, each including VAT and with free shipping (as of September 2026, current prices in the shop). You start with the softer ZERO and switch to the ONE during the day after a few weeks.
The device lasts until your training is complete, as long as it is not damaged, for example by chewing on it. There are no ongoing costs: the FaceFormer app is free, and you will find all modules on the exercise pages.
What you get for this is not a remedy for a single symptom, but a training device for the basic functions of breathing, swallowing and head balance. The exercise manual expects six to twelve months until the new sequences run without thinking, followed by maintenance training. What this looks like in detail is described under Process and duration.
Ask first, then buy
If you want to submit an application, clarify this before you buy. The same applies to the prescription for tax purposes.
Collect receipts
Keep the prescription, invoice and letters from the insurer together. They help with health insurance, Beihilfe and tax.
Start with the ZERO
You start with the softer ZERO. You only need the ONE after a few weeks, so you do not have to buy both at once.
Continue prescribed treatment
If you are undergoing treatment prescribed by a doctor, for example with a splint or CPAP device, do not stop it on your own. The training can be combined with it.
Call if you have questions
For questions about the device and its use, you can reach our support team on 02303 89991.
Questions
Frequently asked
Does German statutory health insurance cover the FaceFormer?
As a rule, no. The FaceFormer is a Class I medical device, but it is not listed in the directory of medical aids (Hilfsmittelverzeichnis). Because the directory is not an exhaustive list, an individual application remains possible. The insurer then assesses necessity and benefit; there is no commitment in advance.
Can the FaceFormer be prescribed?
There is no statutory insurance prescription of the kind issued for a listed medical aid. However, a medical prescription supports an application to the insurer, reimbursement from private insurance or Beihilfe (the healthcare allowance for German civil servants), and proof for tax purposes. Speech therapy or physiotherapy is prescribed by medical and dental practices as a therapeutic service (Heilmittel).
Does the FaceFormer have a medical aid number?
No. Only products included in the directory of medical aids receive an item number there. When we checked on 28.09.2026, the product search for “FaceFormer” returned no results.
Can my speech therapist bill the FaceFormer to the health insurer?
What is billed is the prescribed treatment, i.e. speech therapy or physiotherapy as a therapeutic service. Some practices work with the FaceFormer within this treatment. The device for use at home is not part of the therapeutic service prescription; it is best to ask your practice directly how they handle this.
Does private health insurance pay for the FaceFormer?
That depends on your policy. Medical aids must be prescribed by a doctor, and some policies only reimburse what is on their list of medical aids. Ask in writing before you buy, and submit the invoice and prescription together.
Is the FaceFormer eligible for Beihilfe?
That is decided by your Beihilfe office. At federal level, medical aids prescribed by a doctor are eligible if they are necessary and listed in Annex 11 of the Federal Beihilfe Ordinance (Bundesbeihilfeverordnung), where a jaw muscle trainer is listed. Excluded, among other things, are items with a low retail price. The federal states have their own regulations.
Can I deduct the FaceFormer from my taxes?
As medical expenses under § 33 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG), if there is a medical prescription issued before the purchase. This only has an effect to the extent that your total medical expenses for the year exceed the reasonable burden threshold.
Does German statutory health insurance cover the FaceFormer for children?
For children, too, the answer is generally no. However, for children and young people under 18 there are no co-payments for prescribed speech therapy or other therapeutic services. For children aged 2 to 10, the softer FaceFormer ZERO is recommended; the ZERO Kids Set costs 59.90 euros.
More articles from the knowledge section
Where to go next
Sources
- GKV-Spitzenverband: Hilfsmittelverzeichnis, product search for “FaceFormer” (product name), 0 results, checked on 28.09.2026. Source
- § 33 SGB V, medical aids (paragraph 1 entitlement, paragraph 8 co-payment from age 18). Source
- Medizinischer Dienst Bund (2023). Begutachtungsleitfaden Hilfsmittel. Einzelfall-Beratung und -Begutachtung der Versorgung mit Hilfsmitteln, as of 23.11.2023 (directory of medical aids not a positive list; definition under § 2 Hilfsmittel-Richtlinie; medical benefit under § 70 SGB V and BSG B 3 KR 2/11 R; novel medical aids and new methods, BSG B 3 KR 6/16 R, B 3 KR 30/15 R, B 3 KR 8/21 R). Source
- § 139 SGB V, directory of medical aids. Source
- § 13 SGB V, reimbursement of costs (paragraph 3 services obtained by the insured person, paragraph 3a decision deadlines). Source
- § 84 SGG, deadline for objections. Source
- § 32 SGB V, therapeutic services (paragraph 2 co-payment from age 18). Source
- § 61 SGB V, co-payments. Source
- Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss: Richtlinie über die Verordnung von Heilmitteln in der vertragsärztlichen Versorgung (Heilmittel-Richtlinie), § 2 Heilmittel, version in force from 12.04.2023. Source
- Heilmittelkatalog Zahnärzte, Maßnahmen der Sprech-, Sprach- und Schlucktherapie (SPZ, SCZ, OFZ), annex to the G-BA Heilmittel-Richtlinie Zahnärzte, as of 01.01.2021 (provided by the KZV Land Brandenburg). Source
- Heilmittelkatalog Zahnärzte, Maßnahmen der Physiotherapie (CD1, CD2), annex to the G-BA Heilmittel-Richtlinie Zahnärzte, as of 01.01.2021 (provided by the KZV Land Brandenburg). Source
- Verband der Privaten Krankenversicherung: Musterbedingungen 2009 für die Krankheitskosten- und Krankenhaustagegeldversicherung (MB/KK 2009), § 1 paragraph 3, § 4 paragraphs 1 and 3. Source
- § 25 Bundesbeihilfeverordnung (BBhV), medical aids, with Annex 11 (medical aids eligible for Beihilfe, no. 19.4 jaw spreading device, jaw muscle trainer). Source
- § 33 EStG, extraordinary expenses (paragraph 3 reasonable burden). Source
- § 64 EStDV, proof of medical expenses. Source
- Korbmacher HM, Schwan M, Berndsen S, Bull J, Kahl-Nieke B (2004). Evaluation of a new concept of myofunctional therapy in children. International Journal of Orofacial Myology 30:39-52. PMID 15832861. Source
- Kopp S, Berndsen K, Berndsen S, Ifert F, Langbein U (2004). Initiale Therapie myogener Befunde im kraniomandibulären System mit einem konfektionierten intra-/extraoralen Trainingsgerät. Manuelle Medizin 42(1):55-62. Source
Get started
Ready for the training?
The free FaceFormer app guides you through the basic exercises, counts along and reminds you of your sessions. If you wish, a practice from the practitioner directory can support you.
FaceFormer ZERO + ONE
Both material hardnesses for getting started, day and night. The set for adults.
FaceFormer ZERO
The softer FaceFormer for getting started, for children and for the night.
FaceFormer ZERO Children’s Set
ZERO with hygiene box, plush bag and success book with stamp.
FaceFormer training aims to restore the physiological setting of the basic functions of breathing, swallowing and head balance, with lip closure and the tongue reference position, thereby creating the conditions under which symptoms can improve. It does not replace a medical assessment. You can find practitioners near you in the practitioner directory.
