Press: Out-of-pocket costs for insured could rise significantly - Germany's Healthcare Costs to Rise: Proposed Changes Boost Co-payments
Healthcare costs in Germany are set to rise. New rules propose increasing co-payments for hospital stays and medications. The changes, if approved, would mark the first update since 2004.
Under the proposed changes, patients could face a daily co-payment of 15 euros for hospital stays, up from the current 10 euros. This increase comes as out-of-pocket costs for medications are also set to rise. The minimum co-payment for drugs would jump from 5 to 7.50 euros, while the maximum would increase from 10 to 15 euros.
Currently, patients pay 10% of the drug price, but this would rise to 15% under the new rules. This could significantly increase out-of-pocket costs for insured patients. Last year, total co-payments by insured persons amounted to around five billion euros, with about half of these being for medications.
The proposed changes aim to update regulations that have remained unchanged since 2004. If implemented, they could lead to higher healthcare costs for patients. However, no specific information is available about a legislator proposing these changes.
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