Finance
Information on treatment costs
Administrative and financial matters are generally carried out via the Medical International Office at Heidelberg University Hospital. The Medical International Office employees are committed to handling all necessary steps in a proper and timely manner. For questions regarding your cost estimate and/or treatment plan please contact the inquiry and case management team. For questions regarding bills, payment processing, or refunds, please contact the accounting department.
Self-Paying Patients
Cost Estimate
The submitted medical documents and information regarding the diagnosis or health problem has to be reviewed first by an expert of the corresponding medical field. An overview of the expected treatment costs will be generated based on the treatment offer submitted by the expert. This is a preliminary calculation (estimate). The therapeutic and diagnostic measures ultimately needed cannot be specifically predicted based on the findings provided. For this reason, a preliminary cost estimate can be made and the actual costs may change.
Together with the treatment offer and the cost estimate, we will send a preliminary and non-binding initial consultation appointment by request.
You will receive an appointment confirmation as required by the Visa office upon receipt of the advance payment indicated in your cost estimate.
Payment Options:
Once you've committed to receiving treatment at Heidelberg University Hospital, we ask that the entire sum be transferred to the account of Heidelberg University Hospital as given on the cost estimate.
- Option 1: Money Transfer
A money transfer can be made with your bank in person or online. Please contact your bank to schedule the payment. The University of Heidelberg Hospital: Medcial International Office bank details are located in the lower right corner of your cost estimate.
- Option 2: Pay with cash
A cash payment can be made prior to the appointment at the cashier’s office located in the Kopfklinik, ground floor near the entrance (close to the cafeteria).
Click here for cashier’s office hours
- Option 3: Credit Card Payment
We accept credit card payments. The payment can either be made online or in our office with a card reader. Our office hours our listed on our Contact Information page.
Final Billing Statement:
Approximately six weeks after conclusion of treatment, the actual cost of the required measures will be determined. If these costs are below the pre-payment, the balance will be refunded immediately. In certain cases, particularly when complications occur over the course of treatment, an additional payment may be required at the time of final billing.
Embassy Patients
Heidelberg University Hospital can accept cost coverage guarantees from embassies (e.g. Bahrain, Dubai, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) in individual cases. The prerequisite for making an appointment and carrying out the treatment is that a written cost coverage guarantee from the embassy, accepted by the International Office of Heidelberg University Hospital, is available in advance. In these cases, patients do not have to make an advance payment.
EU Social Security Agreement
Heidelberg University Hospital offers the following treatment options to patients with statutory/state health insurance from countries participating in the EU Social agreement:
Treatment as a "Private Patient":
Essential treatment steps are carried out by the corresponding Chief or Deputy physician personally and thus, by the most experienced specialist.
or:
Treatment as "Standard Benefit Patient":
Treatment is carried out by a team of physicians on duty in the responsible department.
Treatment as "Private Patient"
For treatment with the Chief / Deputy physician, there are incurred costs for "elective medical services." For this, the International Office will offer a cost estimate. The amount for elective medical services must be paid in advance. (The actual cost of treatment performed will be settled after conclusion of treatment. Over or underpayments will be refunded or requested after invoicing.
For inpatient treatment, regardless of the choice of medical services, the E112/S2 certificate (or equivalent country-specific document) must be submitted for inpatient care. For the application for transfer of costs to the health insurance of the home country, follow the steps as given in 1-4.
Treatment as "Standard Benefit Patient"
Prior to treatment, you can apply to your state/statutory health insurance for a treatment cost transfer. Costs for services that are covered by the statutory insurance in your home country, but not in Germany, must be borne by you.
This proceeds as follows:
1. Request the S2 form (formerly E112) from your home country health insurance. The following should always be noted:
- Indications in English
- the planned therapeutic process in English, as far as that is known (e.g. inpatient diagnostic assessment, surgery, chemotherapy, proton/heavy-ion therapy)
- Treating hospital: Heidelberg University Hospital
- The validity period (period of treatment)
2. Send a copy of the form to a German health insurance company of your choice. A selection of German health insurance companies can be found here: https://www.gkv-spitzenverband.de/service/krankenkassenliste/krankenkassen.jsp Once the submitted form has been examined and the requested benefits have been confirmed, you will receive a payment certificate with an insurance number from the German health insurance company.
Important note regarding the range of benefits: “What benefits you can take up within the EC regulations depends on the statutory range of benefits of the treatment state. If you undergo treatment in Germany, you can therefore only take up benefits to which persons who have statutory health insurance in Germany would also be entitled if they satisfied the same preconditions. If the law of your home country provides for the benefit which you are seeking, such as a certain form of treatment, but German law does not, you can also not undergo this treatment in Germany. (...) Proceeding within the EC regulations can therefore entail either a restriction in an individual case, or it can open up a broader range of treatment to you. If for instance German law provides for a benefit for persons with statutory health insurance which is unknown under the law of your home country, your healthcare insurer may nonetheless authorize you to undergo the treatment in Germany. However, it is not obliged to do so.”
For this reason, the treatment indication and the planned therapeutic process, as far as it is known, should in any case be mentioned (e.g., inpatient diagnostic assessment, surgery, chemotherapy, proton/heavy-ion therapy) in your application for cost coverage at the German health insurance company of your choice.
3. Please contact the International Office to make an appointment by sending an online Treatment Inquiry form (if this hasn't been done already) , and attach a copy of the payment certificate with the online form or via email.
4. On the first day of treatment, please bring the original (S2 receipt and German payment certificate) to patient admissions. Your fees will then be arranged directly with the health insurance provider.
Please note: According to the statutory provisions of German Social Security Law, according to § 39 para. 4 of the Civil Code 5, the insured person must pay a 10 Euro deductible for each calendar day in hospital, with a maximum of 28 inpatient treatment days.
Patients with insurance cost transfers
Heidelberg University Hospital may accept cost coverage guarantees from international insurance companies (e.g. Allianz Worldwide Partners, AXA PPP International, Cigna Global Health Benefits) in individual cases. The prerequisite for making an appointment and carrying out the treatment is that a written cost coverage guarantee from the insurance provider, accepted by the International Office of Heidelberg University Hospital, is available in advance. In these cases, patients are not required to make an advance payment.
Cost commitments of other cost providers, particularly private companies, are not accepted. However, in certain cases, it is possible that patients can send the invoice after treatment and ask for compensation from their insurance provider. In any case, please get in touch with your insurance provider in advance.
Frequently Asked questions
How much does a consultation appointment and/or treatment option cost at Heidelberg University Hospital?
Heidelberg University Hospital offers consultation appointments and a variety of treatment options. A cost estimate can only be provided once the medical reports have been reviewed and a decision has been made by the specialists. You will be contacted by your case manager regarding the status of your inquiry and cost estimate.
How are inpatient hospital services billed?
General Hospital Services (standard benefits) of an in-patient treatment case are billed by means of the so-called Diagnosis Related Groups System (DRG-System), which is the legal German hospital billing system. This system is mainly based on the medical documentation of main-diagnosis and additional diagnoses as well as procedures pertaining to the complete stay in hospital. Additional fees are calculated on the basis of procedures as well. The assignment to a DRG is based on various parameters. The most important here are the main diagnosis and any procedures performed (surgery, intensive diagnostic or therapeutic services, respiration hours). Any existing secondary diagnoses could also influence the severity classification. Other surcharges (e.g. for dialysis, application of special drugs, application of blood-products, anticoagulation, legal surcharges etc.) are charged as well and depend for example on the applicated dose(s) during the in-patient stay. The DRG which will finally be billed for one in-patient stay can not be predicted, because all diagnoses made until the end of the stay, and all diagnostic or therapeutic services in the course of treatment are essential.
The costs for nursing staff are billed as additional daily rates. These separated costs appear on the invoice as position "costs for nurses care".
In addition to the standard benefits, chosen elective services, e.g. "treatment by physician of choice" (private patient treatment) will be invoiced additionally and separately by the involved medical departments.
I received my cost estimate and I would like to make a payment. What are my payment options?
Option 1: Money Transfer
A money transfer can be made with your bank in person or online. Please contact your bank to schedule the payment. The University of Heidelberg Hospital: International Office bank details are located in the lower right corner of your cost estimate.
Option 2: Pay with cash
A cash payment can be made prior to the appointment at the cashier’s office located in the Kopfklinik on the ground floor near the entranceway and cafeteria.
Cashiers Office Opening Hours
Cashiers Office Opening Hours | Before Noon | Afternoon |
Monday | 8:00 – 12:00 pm | 1:00 – 3:00 pm |
Tuesday | closed | closed |
Wednesday | 8:00 – 11:15 pm | closed |
Thursday | 8:00 – 12:00 pm | 1:00 – 3:00 pm |
Friday | 8:00 – 1:00 pm | closed |
Saturday | closed | |
Sunday | closed |
Option 3: Credit Card Payment
We accept credit card payments. The payment can either be made online or in our office with a card reader.
How long does it take for my payment to be deposited into your account?
International bank transfers may take approx. 10 banking days from the day our bank receives the transfer order.
The patient was admitted as an emergency case and your office was already closed. How can I receive cost estimate if the office was already closed at that time?
Usually, you should be able to receive the cost estimate on the next business day.