Overview

• Doctors propose penalties between 10 and 100 euros for missed medical appointments, citing inefficiencies caused by no-shows affecting 10-20% of bookings.
• Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and social organizations oppose the penalties, arguing they would disproportionately impact low-income families and fail to address systemic issues.
• Some specialized practices in Germany already charge penalties for missed appointments, but broader implementation remains controversial.
• Critics emphasize the need for reforms to improve appointment access and reduce wait times for publicly insured patients, who face significant disparities compared to private insurance holders.
• Ongoing coalition talks include discussions on a primary care referral system and other measures to streamline healthcare access and reduce inefficiencies.