Hospital costs for patients continue to rise
Hospitalisation insurance is not mandatory, but it is far from a luxury. Hospital stays are often associated with high and difficult-to-predict costs, as recent figures show.
According to two reports by the Intermutualistic Agency (IMA) on hospital costs borne by patients, the average bill for a standard hospital stay amounts to €2,778 in a single room, compared to €323 in a shared room. However, the final cost can vary significantly.
To prevent patients from postponing necessary care, the financial impact of hospitalisation needs to become more predictable and manageable. This is particularly important for those who do not have supplementary hospitalisation insurance.
The Hospital Barometer
The Hospital Barometer tracks the evolution of costs charged to patients and helps assess the financial accessibility of hospital care. According to the most recent data (2024), a total of €1.60 billion was billed to patients for hospital stays and day admissions in general and university hospitals.
Physician fee supplements – which may only be charged when a patient explicitly chooses a single room – account for €760 million, nearly half of the total. In addition, €460 million relates to co-payments, the portion of official tariffs paid by the patient.
The increase in physician fee supplements is particularly striking: +9.1% compared to 2023. This rise is significantly higher than the increase in health insurance reimbursements (+5.6%) and co-payments (+1.5%).
Difficult cost estimation
A stay in a single room costs on average eight times more than a stay in a shared room. However, even in double or shared rooms, costs can rise quickly, for example due to implants, non-reimbursed services or longer stays. In 5% of such admissions, patients end up paying more than €1,000.
