State health insurance for the self employed - Germany

I am about to start my own business and would like to know if it possible for me to get state health insurance. I remember reading something about a new regulation coming into effect in 2009 but I can't remember what it was or where I read it or even if it was about something else completely different. Anybody know anything?

Can you give a bit more information,please?How are you insured at the moment?What nationality are you?How long have you been in Germany?etc etc etc .

I'm a self employed UK resident thinking about coming over and starting fresh in Germany.

Ah, Mr.Paul..ok.your original question about state insurance.If you come here and if you show you were in the NHS and if you´re quick,you can get into the public health system here.Basically,you need to prove you´ve been paying into an EU system for the last 2 years without interruption..I know this sounds strange but they want proof here.On the other hand, why do you state you want to be in the public system here?Do you think it´s free?It isn´t!Whether the public system or the private system is better for you depends on your personal situation..

as john-q points out correctly, in contrast to the NHS which is finance thru your taxes, there are direct contributions to be made for the German public health insurance which are based on your income. Now if you are self-emplyoed, the min. income this is computed on by law is set at around 1260 EUR/month and the insurance will come at roughly 215 EUR/month.
Now if you have a wife and kids with you (who would be co-insured at this rate for free) this is still quite cheap, if you are young, single male without medical problems, you can get much cheaper insurance privately.

Once you moved and know more about what you are going to do, contact an independent broker and let him/her help you with this, it is not matter for amateurs... far to complex and complicated, I am afraid.

Cheerio

The DSS (or whatever they're called now) will provide a record of NI contributions on request. For the self-employed that would show your NI stamps which you've been paying.

Right Wheel, I´ve been here so long I don´t know if they´re called DSS either...Got 4 pounds from them once..but that was at the time of the Beatles/Stones generation!