Overview

• Lower Saxony's initiative led to a Bundesrat resolution calling for a federal review of appointment allocation disparities in Germany's healthcare system.
• Doctors' associations argue that structural issues, not private patients, are the root cause of delays, opposing quotas and financial incentives.
• Health insurance representatives highlight discrimination against publicly insured patients and advocate for digital systems ensuring equal access.
• Public dissatisfaction remains high, with 31% of publicly insured patients in a 2024 survey finding specialist appointment waiting times excessively long.
• The average waiting time for specialist appointments in 2023 was 12 days, but varied significantly by specialty, with some waits exceeding 26 days.