Are private patients really given preferential treatment over public health insurance patients in Germany?

At provisit.com, foreign visitors can take out both statutory and private health insurance. We explain the advantages and disadvantages of these two types of insurance here.

As a student in Germany, you usually have the choice between statutory and private health insurance. Which type of insurance is right for you depends on many factors, including your age, the duration of your studies, and your plans for after graduation.

In this article, we want to take a closer look at one of these factors. If you have the choice between statutory and private health insurance, there is one thing you should know: Private patients in Germany are indeed frequently given preferential treatment compared to statutory health insurance patients, especially when it comes to appointment scheduling and waiting times in outpatient care.

Please note that we are referring here to private, substitute comprehensive health insurance policies, not private travel health insurance policies.

Why are private patients preferred?

The main reason lies in the payment system: doctors receive, on average, more than double the fees for treating private patients than for those covered by statutory insurance. Furthermore, there is no statutory budget cap for billable services to private patients, creating financial incentives for physicians to prefer them.

Differences in healthcare provision

• Waiting times: Studies show that those with private insurance get appointments much faster. In a large-scale study, statutory patients waited on average more than twice as long for specialist appointments than private patients (e.g., 25 vs. 12 days).
• Additional services: Private patients often have access to special benefits such as treatment by the chief physician, single rooms, and innovative therapies, which may be available to statutory patients only later or not at all.
• Prescribing medication: Doctors see the treatment of private patients as less risky, since there are no financial recourse claims (medication regress) for them, which can make care more expedient.

Current debate and proposed reforms

The national association of statutory health insurance funds has been demanding for years that the preferential treatment be abolished and that medical necessity and not insurance status determine appointment scheduling. Political initiatives aim to legally ban discrimination and create unified booking platforms.

What does this mean for you and your choice of the right insurance?

The preferential treatment of private patients in Germany is proven and structurally rooted, especially through financial incentives and differences in service scope. Numerous studies and personal experiences confirm this systemic issue.

Regardless of whether you have public or private health insurance, you will always receive all necessary treatment. However, it depends on how necessary the treatment is. In emergencies, you are well covered with both types of insurance.

When it comes to treatments that are not urgent, such as the removal of moles or general preventive medical checkups, private patients usually get an appointment faster than patients with statutory health insurance. The special services offered by most private insurance companies can also be a decisive factor in choosing the type of insurance.