Medical bill

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 area, the individual items of the bill are charged by the Fee Code for Doctors, which regulates what costs your doctor may bill. As a matter of principle, the fee may be between one and 2.3-times the fee rate, depending on the extent of difficulty and work involved. In exceptional cases, 3.5-times the fee rate or, on agreement with you, also a fee rate going beyond this may be charged. The higher fee rates must be explained by your doctor in writing.

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 should 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.

Learn more