Doctors will collect €493m in fees from patients this year, 54% more than in 2023

Doctors will collect €493m in fees from patients this year, 54% more than in 2023, according to a survey by research agency 2muse for the Advance HM Institute. The survey was conducted this summer among patients who visited a general practitioner or specialist, excluding dentists. Half of patients paid for specialist visits (up from 41% in 2023), with an average fee of €21 per visit (+24%). 27% paid for GP visits (22%), with an average fee of €10, unchanged from last year. Fees are collected in every region and are paid at similar rates across income groups, mostly without proof of payment and often illegally. In Bratislava, 69% of patients paid fees, compared to the national average of 50%.

(Tulejová)