Country Correspondent: Michael Laxy
In Germany, people covered under the statutory health insurance system often face longer wait times for physician appointments compared to those with private insurance. A law passed in March aims to address the issue: it introduces incentives for physicians to allot more consultations hours to statutorily insured patients — 88 percent of the German population — while providing assistance to patients with finding available doctors and making timely appointments. An estimated EUR 600 million to 800 million (USD 663 million to 883 million) will be allocated annually for those additional services.
