Overview
- The law reduces Festzuschüsse next year to 50% without a bonusheft, 60% with five years of bonus entries, and 65% with ten years of bonus entries.
- The change was reported Saturday and takes effect for treatments whose insurer approval is granted from 2027 onward, so plans approved before 31 December 2026 keep the current, higher subsidies.
- Concrete examples show higher out‑of‑pocket costs: a three‑unit bridge could lose about €173 in subsidy and a single crown without a bonusheft about €40 starting in 2027.
- Dentists and the KZVB warn of longer processing times and advise patients to have a Heil‑und‑Kostenplan submitted and approved this year because approvals normally last about six months.
- Those facing bigger bills can use the bonusheft or eZahnbonus in the electronic patient record, seek a free second opinion, check insurer–dentist cooperation or university clinics, consider dental tourism with its warranty risks, or apply for hardship relief if income is very low.