Circle Health Alternative Berlin: What to Do Next | YEARS

If you are reading this, you have probably heard about the closure of Circle Health in Berlin. Perhaps you had been a client for years, had already planned a follow-up appointment, or relied on a clinic that placed a strong emphasis on prevention. Its closure at the end of August 2026 due to insolvency has left a gap for many former clients.

This article helps you assess the situation and make an informed decision about your future preventive healthcare. We will not speculate about the reasons behind the closure. Instead, we focus on what matters now: What should you look for in a new provider? And what options are available in Berlin for people who want to continue monitoring their health systematically and proactively?

We outline important criteria for a high-quality health check-up and explain how YEARS in Berlin may serve as a Circle Health alternative, with a stronger focus on standardized preventive diagnostics, physician-led interpretation, and scientific transparency.

What was Circle Health? A brief overview

Circle Health was a Berlin-based provider focused on functional medicine, prevention, and health optimization. Its approach extended beyond conventional primary care and included a range of diagnostic and therapeutic services.

These included health checks focused on areas such as prevention, longevity, and gut health, alongside functional medicine approaches and infusion therapies. Circle Health therefore appealed particularly to people who wanted to assess and manage their health proactively.

At the end of August 2026, Circle Health ceased clinical operations due to insolvency. For existing clients, this means that planned examinations, longitudinal monitoring, and established relationships with physicians or therapists now need to be reorganized.

Why many former Circle Health clients are now looking for an alternative

The closure creates several practical challenges for existing clients.

1. Continuity of health data: Preventive medicine becomes particularly useful when measurements can be compared over several years. Laboratory values, blood pressure, physical performance, and imaging often provide more useful information when assessed longitudinally rather than as isolated measurements. When changing providers, this comparability may become more difficult, especially if examination methods or measurement protocols differ. Existing reports and raw data should therefore be transferred to the new provider whenever possible.
2. Established trust: Building a strong relationship with a healthcare provider takes time. People who felt well looked after at Circle Health now need to find a new provider and communicate their medical history again in a structured way.
3. Planned preventive care: Many people undergo regular health checks. Those who had already established an annual or recurring examination routine often want to continue it without interruption.

Before choosing a new provider, it therefore makes sense to consider which aspects of Circle Health were particularly important to you. Different providers may follow very different medical approaches.

What to look for when choosing a health check-up provider in Berlin

A preventive health check-up should not simply aim to collect as many measurements as possible. What matters is whether the diagnostic program is medically appropriate, interpreted correctly, and translated into a clear action plan.

1. Diagnostic scope: Beyond a standard health check

The general health check provided by German statutory health insurance for adults aged 35 and above includes, among other things, a medical history, physical examination, blood pressure measurement, fasting plasma glucose, a lipid profile including total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides, and a urine test. Adults aged 35 and above are also entitled to a one-time screening for hepatitis B and C.

More comprehensive private health checks may include additional cardiovascular and metabolic risk markers, functional testing, and – depending on the program, age, individual risk profile, and medical indication – imaging.

Ask yourself:

• Which laboratory parameters are actually measured?
• Are relevant cardiometabolic markers such as ApoB, Lp(a), hs-CRP, or markers of glucose metabolism included?
• Which imaging procedures are offered, and what clinical question are they intended to answer?
• Are physical performance, lung function, or cognitive functions assessed using standardized methods?
• How are abnormal findings interpreted afterwards?

2. Medical interpretation: Who evaluates your data?

Collecting data is only the first step. What matters is what happens next.

Laboratory results, imaging, and functional assessments must be interpreted in the context of age, existing conditions, family history, symptoms, and individual risk factors. A value outside a reference range does not automatically indicate disease; similarly, a value within the reference range may still be clinically relevant in certain risk constellations.

Ask yourself:

• Who discusses the results with you?
• Are individual findings prioritized?
• Is a distinction made between clinically relevant findings and incidental findings?
• Do you receive clear recommendations for the next steps?

3. Continuity: Prevention as an ongoing process

A health check-up represents a snapshot in time. Many changes only become visible when the same parameters are measured repeatedly under comparable conditions.

For this reason, standardized examination protocols and consistent measurement methods can be useful when health assessments are repeated over several years.

Ask yourself:

• Can relevant examinations be repeated regularly?
• Are previous results systematically compared with new findings?
• Can you provide external medical records and imaging data?
• Are changes over time interpreted medically?

4. Billing and transparency

The costs of comprehensive health check-ups vary considerably. It should therefore be clear which examinations are included and how medical services are billed.

Private medical services in Germany are generally billed according to the German Medical Fee Schedule, the Gebührenordnung für Ärzte (GOÄ). Whether a private health insurer reimburses these costs depends on the individual insurance plan, the medical necessity of the respective service, and the applicable insurance conditions.

A GOÄ-compliant invoice alone does not guarantee reimbursement.

Ask yourself:

• Are program scope and prices communicated transparently?
• Which services are billed by physicians according to GOÄ?
• Are there additional costs?
• Which documents do you receive for potential submission to your private health insurer?

5. Scientific transparency: Distinguishing established diagnostics from newer technologies

Preventive medicine is developing rapidly. Alongside established diagnostic methods, providers increasingly use newer technologies whose clinical benefit is still being studied.

A responsible provider should therefore distinguish clearly between:

• established medical diagnostics,
• diagnostic procedures with limited evidence for screening asymptomatic individuals,
• and research-oriented or experimental biomarkers.

This applies, for example, to epigenetic age models, multi-cancer blood tests, and whole-body MRI screening in people without symptoms.

Such procedures may provide additional information. However, this does not automatically mean that their use has been proven to prevent disease or improve life expectancy.

Ask yourself:

• Is the scientific validation of each test explained transparently?
• Are the risks of false-positive findings and follow-up investigations discussed?
• Is there a clear distinction between standard clinical diagnostics and research-oriented procedures?
• Are results interpreted within the broader medical context?

6. From findings to an action plan

More data does not automatically lead to better health.

A high-quality check-up should therefore end with clear prioritization: Which findings are relevant? What requires further assessment? Which risk factors can be modified? Which interventions are likely to have the greatest impact on health?

Ask yourself:

• Is there a comprehensive physician consultation after the assessment?
• Are recommendations prioritized?
• Are nutrition, exercise, sleep, and other modifiable risk factors taken into account?
• Is it clear which investigations should be repeated later?

YEARS Berlin: A potential Circle Health alternative

YEARS is located at Joachimsthaler Straße 34 in Berlin-Charlottenburg, just a few minutes' walk from Kurfürstendamm. Its focus is on comprehensive preventive diagnostics conducted within a structured assessment day.

From a company perspective, YEARS is led by Managing Director Jürgen Mehrtens, Lukas Schmitz, Head of Operations, and Niko Hems, Head of Strategy & Medical Communications.

Medical examinations and physician consultations are provided by independently practicing doctors from different medical specialties working within the YEARS facilities.

YEARS currently offers three diagnostic programs with different levels of testing.

YEARS Core® – €1,900 | approx. 6 hours

Core® provides the diagnostic baseline.

It includes, among other things:

• comprehensive laboratory diagnostics with around 87 parameters
• lipid and glucose metabolism markers, including ApoB, Lp(a), and parameters used to assess insulin sensitivity
• ultrasound examinations including the heart, abdominal organs, and thyroid
• cardiopulmonary exercise testing to assess aerobic performance
• body plethysmography for advanced lung function testing
• HRV measurement
• 3D body scanning
• functional strength and movement testing
• AI-assisted retinal imaging
• selected sensory and neurocognitive assessments
• arterial stiffness measurement

After the diagnostic assessment, the findings are compiled into a comprehensive Health Report and subsequently discussed with a physician.

YEARS Evolve® – €7,600 | approx. 9 hours

Evolve® extends the baseline assessment with additional laboratory parameters and advanced diagnostic procedures.

These include, among other things:

• more than 120 laboratory parameters
• an expanded hormonal and metabolic profile
• whole-body MRI including brain imaging
• more extensive neurocognitive testing
• additional functional diagnostics
• a liquid biopsy used as an additional test for signals associated with various solid tumors

Whole-body MRI does not involve ionizing radiation and can identify structural abnormalities. At the same time, the clinical benefit of routine whole-body MRI screening in asymptomatic individuals has not yet been conclusively established in terms of major clinical outcomes. Incidental findings may also result in additional diagnostic procedures.

Multi-cancer blood tests and liquid biopsy technologies are likewise still undergoing clinical development. They do not replace established cancer screening programs and are used at YEARS as complementary, research-oriented procedures.

YEARS Ultimate® – €16,900 | approx. 9 hours

Ultimate® extends Evolve® with additional molecular, genetic, and longitudinal assessments.

These include, among other things:

• more than 230 laboratory parameters and biomarkers
• advanced immunological and metabolic analyses
• whole-genome sequencing
• pharmacogenetic analyses
• epigenetic assessments
• microbiome analysis
• selected emerging biomarkers such as p-tau217 and GDF-15
• additional physician follow-ups and coaching throughout the year

Genetic and epigenetic analyses can provide additional information about inherited risks, drug responses, or biological ageing processes. It is important, however, to distinguish between clinically established genetic findings and procedures whose individual prognostic relevance remains limited.

In particular, so-called biological age clocks are currently not standalone medical diagnoses and should not be used in isolation to guide medical decisions.

Circle Health vs. YEARS: Similarities and differences

Circle Health and YEARS both follow a preventive approach, but their medical focus differs considerably.

Similarities

• Both providers are or were based in Berlin.
• Both target people who want additional health information beyond routine primary care.
• Both emphasize a proactive approach to health.
• Both primarily serve self-paying and privately insured clients.

Differences

Circle Health combined prevention more strongly with functional medicine and therapeutic services such as infusion therapy and other complementary approaches.

YEARS focuses more heavily on standardized diagnostics, imaging, functional measurements, laboratory testing, and health data that can be compared longitudinally.

Comprehensive laboratory diagnostics

The Core® program already includes numerous cardiometabolic and preventive health parameters, including ApoB, Lp(a), and markers of glucose metabolism.

Integrated functional diagnostics

In addition to laboratory testing, assessments include cardiopulmonary performance, lung function, vascular parameters, body measurements, and selected neurocognitive functions.

Advanced imaging

Whole-body MRI is included in the Evolve® and Ultimate® programs. Results are assessed alongside laboratory findings and functional data rather than being interpreted in isolation.

Longitudinal data

YEARS is designed to repeat relevant assessments and compare changes over time.

Clients may also consent to contribute data to a prospective clinical registry.

Emerging diagnostic technologies

The larger programs also include newer or research-oriented technologies such as liquid biopsy, epigenetic assessments, genome sequencing, and emerging biomarkers.

These findings should be interpreted according to the strength of the available scientific evidence and should not automatically be treated as equivalent to established clinical diagnostics.

Physician interpretation

After the examinations have been completed, relevant findings are combined and discussed during a physician-led strategy consultation.

The aim is to prioritize findings and derive clear next steps.

Is YEARS a direct replacement for Circle Health?

Not in every case.

People who primarily used Circle Health for functional medicine, infusion therapy, or other therapeutic services will not find an identical treatment model at YEARS.

However, people primarily looking for regular health checks, comprehensive laboratory diagnostics, functional testing, imaging, and structured medical interpretation may consider YEARS as a potential Circle Health alternative.

The emphasis is more strongly placed on standardized diagnostics, longitudinal monitoring, and the integration of different medical data sources.

Your first step: How a health check at YEARS works

The process follows a structured format.

1. Choose a program: First decide which level of diagnostics best fits your goals and individual risk profile.

• Core® provides the comprehensive diagnostic baseline.
• Evolve® adds whole-body MRI, additional diagnostics, and liquid biopsy.
• Ultimate® adds further molecular, genetic, and longitudinal assessments alongside more intensive follow-up.

1. Get in touch: You can book an appointment through the YEARS website or first arrange a consultation to discuss the programs.
2. Diagnostic day: Depending on the program, you spend approximately six to nine hours at the Berlin clinic. The individual examinations are coordinated within a structured assessment day.
3. Health Report and strategy consultation: Once all findings have been evaluated, you receive your personal Health Report. Relevant findings are then discussed with a physician, risks are prioritized, and potential next steps are defined.

For personal advice or to schedule an appointment, you can contact YEARS directly.

Frequently asked questions about Circle Health alternatives

Is YEARS a suitable alternative to Circle Health Berlin?

That depends on which Circle Health services you previously used.

If you are primarily looking for comprehensive preventive diagnostics, regular health checks, laboratory testing, performance diagnostics, and potentially advanced imaging, YEARS may be a suitable alternative.

If your main focus was functional medicine or specific therapeutic services offered by Circle Health, YEARS is not a direct replacement.

How much does a health check-up at YEARS cost?

The current programs are priced at:

• YEARS Core®: €1,900
• YEARS Evolve®: €7,600
• YEARS Ultimate®: €16,900

The scope differs considerably between the programs. When comparing providers, it is therefore important to consider which laboratory tests, imaging procedures, functional assessments, and physician services are actually included.

Can my private health insurance reimburse a YEARS health check-up?

Medical services at YEARS are billed according to the German Medical Fee Schedule, or GOÄ.

Whether and to what extent your private health insurer reimburses these costs depends on your individual insurance plan and the medical necessity of the respective service.

Reimbursement therefore cannot be guaranteed.

YEARS provides the relevant billing documentation for potential submission to private health insurers.

How does a YEARS longevity check-up differ from the German statutory health check?

The general health check provided by statutory health insurance offers a basic health assessment. For adults aged 35 and above, it includes measures such as a physical examination, blood pressure measurement, fasting blood glucose, a lipid profile, and urine testing.

YEARS extends this baseline substantially.

The Core® program includes numerous additional laboratory parameters. It also includes ultrasound examinations, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, body plethysmography, vascular assessments, functional testing, and selected neurocognitive examinations.

The larger programs additionally include advanced imaging as well as molecular and genetic technologies.

A greater diagnostic scope does not automatically mean that every individual examination has been proven to provide additional health benefits. Particularly for newer screening technologies, the strength and limitations of the scientific evidence should be considered carefully.

This article is intended for general informational purposes and does not replace individual medical advice. The type and extent of preventive testing should be based on age, individual risk profile, family history, existing medical conditions, and specific clinical questions. Some procedures used at YEARS are established clinical diagnostics, while others remain under ongoing scientific or clinical evaluation.