What medical bill will you receive after medical treatments in the EU?
Bills from doctors, dentists or hospitals have country-related differences in the benefit-orientated, flat-rate remuneration system, but in general, there are two kinds of bills:
- Bills from doctors in private practice (out-patient care)
- Bills from hospitals (in-patient care)
Bills from doctors in private practice (out-patient care)
In the outpatient sector, individual billing items are charged according to the Fee Code for Doctors, which governs the costs your doctor may bill. Generally, the fee can range from 1 to 2.3 times the standard rate, depending on the complexity and the effort involved. In exceptional cases, a rate of up to 3.5 times the standard fee or, with your agreement, a fee exceeding this amount may be charged. Your doctor must provide a written explanation for any higher fee rates.
Bills from hospitals (in-patient care)
If you have been in a hospital e.g. in Germany as an in-patient, the remuneration of the general medically-necessary hospital services (such as medical treatment, care, food and board) are in line with a benefit-orientated, flat-rate remuneration system. This means that case flat rates are charged. The amount of a case flat rate is in line with the nature of the illness, the seriousness of the disease and the diagnosis. A patient with a less serious illness, therefore, pays less than one with a serious illness which is laborious to treat.
The amount of the lump-sum costs incurred for this does not differ from those which may be billed for persons with statutory health insurance. If you would like additional services over and above the general medically necessary hospital services, such as treatment by the head physician, these are billed by the Fee Code for Doctors or the Fee Code for Dentists. You need to conclude a separate agreement for the additional services. Before undergoing in-patient hospital treatment, we, therefore, recommend that you determine the extent of the benefits which you wish to take up and what it is to cost in a treatment contract with the respective hospital.