Germany Weighs Small Fees to Cut Specialist Wait Times and Boost Primary Care

A tiny fee could reshape Germany’s healthcare system—shortening waits for specialists while strengthening family doctors. But will patients embrace the change?

, and Administrator

2025 November 19 . 3:06 AM

1 min read

In the image we can see there are people standing and in front there is a man wearing suit and hat,... — In the image we can see there are people standing and in front there is a man wearing suit and hat, others are wearing jacket. Behind there is a food stall.

Germany Weighs Small Fees to Cut Specialist Wait Times and Boost Primary Care

German Health Minister Nina Warken is exploring ways to ease pressure on specialist services. One proposal under review is a small consultation fee for patients. The goal is to shorten long waiting times while encouraging the use of primary care doctors.

Warken first raised the idea of a consultation fee in October 2023. Her aim was to steer more patients toward general practitioners before seeing specialists. She believes this could help create a stronger primary care system.

The proposal remains under discussion, with no final decision yet made. If introduced, the fee or bonus system would focus on balancing demand across healthcare services. The minister’s priority is to ensure fair access while reducing delays for specialist care.