Patients criticize

Elective doctor’s practice: anger over “crazy prices”

There is only a guideline for the fee structure, but no binding set of rules or price caps.

(Bild: dpa/Tobias Hase)

As the vast majority of statutory health insurance practices are hopelessly overcrowded, more and more patients are seeking help from elective doctors. At least those who can afford it. In Styria, however, complaints about pricing and a lack of information are now piling up. The Chamber and the health insurance fund emphasize that they have no means of dealing with this.

The influx of elective doctors continues unabated. No wonder, as patients often wait weeks or even months for an appointment with a doctor they trust. Unlike panel doctors, who are subject to a precisely defined fee schedule, elective doctors have absolute freedom to set their own rates. This can sometimes lead to strange results.