Decoding No-Show Fees for Doctor Visits: Are They Fair Game

Questions & Answers Date: September 15, 2024. Authors: Verena Patel

Image: dpa | Benjamin Nolte

Doctors’ associations are calling for consequences if patients miss appointments. Two experts explain what to look out for and what other solutions there are.

The Bremen Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, as well as the Federal Association and other specialist medical associations, had advocated the introduction of a penalty fee for appointments with general practitioners that were not cancelled. The reason: too many appointments were missed without being cancelled and the practice was losing income.

In contrast, there is a high demand for specialist appointments. But in many cases, a patient cannot simply “move up” from the waiting room, say doctors. This is because time slots and equipment are reserved for various examinations and treatments, and the appointments are prepared, for example when MRI images are taken or a tooth is crowned.

Are doctors allowed to charge a fee for missed appointments?

“The question of whether it is legal to charge a cancellation fee for an appointment that was not cancelled is unclear. There are various rulings on this with very different results. There is no supreme court ruling on this yet,” says Kai Kirchner, health insurance consultant at the Lower Saxony Consumer Advice Center. Some judges see what is known as a delay in acceptance if a patient does not show up for an appointment. This is a term from contract law. A person who does not accept the service agreed in a contract on time is in default of acceptance. The fee must then still be paid.

“Others see a special termination option for the patient: If he does not show up for the appointment, he has terminated the contract and does not have to pay anything anymore,” says Kirchner. “Of course, that does not make it easy for patients. The legislator should use the debate as an opportunity to regulate the question of cancellation fees in a binding manner.”

The Independent Patient Advice Centre sees the situation as follows: “The charging of such a fee is only legally permissible under certain conditions, such as if the patients were clearly and verifiably informed about the fee in advance and the practice can prove that the appointment could not be given to someone else,” says Heike Morris, legal director, when asked.

How do patients even know that the practice charges a fee?

Kai Kirchner from the Lower Saxony Consumer Advice Center recommends a written agreement so that patients know what to expect if they do not show up for an appointment without canceling. “A fair agreement should provide for a cancellation period of no more than 24 hours before the appointment and make an exception for short-term cancellations due to illness. The cancellation fee should be fair and significantly lower than the remuneration for the planned service.”

How high can the penalty be?

According to Kirchner, it should be appropriately high. In his view, this is at least less than the doctor would have received in fees for the examination if it had taken place as planned. Here, too, the consumer advocate is in favor of a 24-hour deadline and the option of being able to cancel at short notice due to illness without having to pay the fee.

How can we ensure that more patients reliably cancel?

Heike Morris from the Independent Patient Advice Service can imagine that practice staff point out when making appointments that there is high demand and that a missed appointment also disadvantages other patients because they cannot take their place at short notice.

“One possibility could be to improve the accessibility of doctor’s offices to make it easier for patients to cancel appointments in good time,” writes Morris. However, how easily practices are accessible to patients varies greatly. Ideally, there are other ways to cancel besides by phone, for example by email, via the appointment scheduling portal Doctolib or by fax.

More on the topic:

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This topic in the program:
Bremen Zwei, News, September 10, 2024, 6 a.m.

Missed without prior ​cancellation.

Missed Doctor’s Appointments: Consequences and Solutions

[Image: A patient is advised by the receptionist at the reception of a doctor’s office. (dpa | Benjamin Nolte)]

Doctors’ associations​ are calling​ for ‌consequences if patients miss appointments without canceling. ⁢Two experts explain what to​ look⁣ out for and what other solutions there are.

The Issue of Missed Appointments

The Bremen Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, as well as the Federal Association and other specialist medical associations, have⁣ advocated for the introduction of a penalty fee for appointments with general practitioners that are

And the specific circumstances of the missed appointment. In general, fees can range from a nominal charge, such as 10-25 euros, to a percentage of the consultation fee or the full fee if the appointment was particularly long or involved. It’s important for patients to inquire about specific charges when scheduling their appointments.

The Missed Appointment Conundrum: What You Need to Know About Penalty Fees

[Image: A patient is advised by the receptionist at the reception of a doctor’s office. Image: dpa | Benjamin Nolte]

Have you ever missed a doctor’s appointment without canceling? If so, you’re not alone. Many patients fail to show up for their scheduled appointments, leading to lost income for medical practices and wasted resources. In response, doctors’ associations are calling for penalty fees for missed appointments. But what does this mean for patients, and how can we ensure that more appointments are kept or canceled in a timely manner?

Are doctors allowed to charge a fee for missed appointments?

In Germany, doctors are allowed to charge a fee for missed appointments, but there are certain conditions that must be met. According to § 8 of the German Medical Fee Schedule (GOÄ), medical practitioners can charge a fee for a missed appointment if the patient was aware of the appointment and failed to cancel or reschedule in time. However, the practice must inform patients of this policy in advance, either through a sign in the waiting room or on their website.

How do patients even know that the practice charges a fee?

It’s essential for patients to be aware of the practice’s policy on missed appointments. Patients should always ask about the practice’s cancellation policy when booking an appointment. If the practice has a penalty fee for missed appointments, this information should be clearly displayed in the waiting room or on the practice’s website. Patients can also ask the receptionist about the cancellation policy when booking an appointment.

How high can the penalty be?

The penalty fee for a missed appointment varies depending on the medical practice