Submit your Muster 4 / patient transport prescription digitally – Berlin

What is Muster 4 (prescription for patient transport)?

Muster 4 is the standard nationwide form titled “Prescription for patient transport” (Verordnung einer Krankenbeförderung), used within Germany’s statutory health insurance system. It’s commonly known as the Krankentransportschein, or simply the transport prescription. Its legal basis is § 60 SGB V, together with the Patient Transport Directive (Krankentransport-Richtlinie) issued by the Federal Joint Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss).

With the Muster 4, the doctor confirms that a journey to outpatient or inpatient treatment is medically necessary. The form records the health insurer, insurance number, the patient’s name and address, the reason for transport, the type of transport, the treatment date or frequency, and the treatment facility. Only these details make direct billing with all health insurers possible.

For ABC Ambulanz, a completed Muster 4 is the basis for every scheduled journey. There’s no need to type it out: simply photograph it or upload it as a PDF – our scanning system reads the fields, you check them, and you send it off. We explain what your health insurer covers and what co-payment applies on our page Patient Transport – Costs & Health Insurer.

Who issues Muster 4?

Muster 4 is issued exclusively by a doctor. Patients or their relatives cannot complete the prescription themselves – they receive the finished form from the practice.

The patient transport prescription is usually issued by:

• the GP practice coordinating ongoing treatment;
• a specialist practice, for example in oncology, nephrology or cardiology;
• the hospital, for example on admission, transfer or discharge;
• a medical care centre (MVZ) or an outpatient clinic.

For practice teams, this often means extra administrative work. With digital submission, practices can send the completed Muster 4 straight to ABC Ambulanz as a photo or PDF – no fax, no double entry. Find out more on our page For Doctors’ Practices.

When is approval from the health insurer required?

Whether a patient journey needs prior approval depends on the reason for treatment. This is governed by the Patient Transport Directive and the doctor’s entries on the Muster 4.

Journeys for outpatient treatment

Journeys for outpatient treatment generally require prior approval from the health insurer. The doctor states the medical necessity on the prescription; the insurer then decides on cover.

Ongoing treatment (dialysis, chemotherapy, radiotherapy)

For frequent, ongoing treatment – such as dialysis, chemotherapy or radiotherapy – approval is usually simplified or granted in advance, since the need for regular journeys is self-evident. For these recurring journeys, a series journey with fixed treatment days is a good option.

Journeys for inpatient stays

Journeys connected with inpatient hospital treatment are generally possible without separate approval. Either way, the rule is: if a valid Muster 4 is presented, ABC Ambulanz bills all health insurers directly – usually leaving you with only the statutory co-payment.

Does Muster 4 also apply to taxi / patient journeys?

Yes. On the Muster 4, the doctor ticks the medically appropriate type of transport. This determines which vehicle is used for the journey.

Patient journey (taxi / hire car)

For a straightforward seated patient journey without medical supervision en route, a taxi or hire car is often sufficient. This type of transport is also prescribed via Muster 4, provided the requirements of the Patient Transport Directive are met.

Patient transport (KTW)

If transport lying down, wheelchair transport with supervision, or specialist medical escort is required, a patient transport ambulance (KTW) is prescribed. ABC Ambulanz operates vehicles to DIN EN 1789; our quality management follows DIN EN ISO 9001:2015. In a life-threatening emergency, Muster 4 is not the right route – please dial the emergency number 112 instead.