What does a doctor's house call in Berlin cost?

The GOÄ (German Physicians' Fee Schedule) is the legal basis for billing all private-physician services in Germany. It governs how medical services may be charged.

Each medical service has its own fee number with a fixed single rate. This can be multiplied by a surcharge factor:

<ul><li>1.0× single rate — only for very simple services</li><li>2.3× standard ceiling — the usual billing rate</li><li>3.5× maximum — only for particularly complex services, requires written justification</li></ul>

RAB Berlin bills transparently per GOÄ. You receive a detailed invoice with every item.

Cost depends on the condition, scope of treatment and time of day.

Exact cost depends on the individual scope. The entry price is 180 €. With additional services such as IV, ECG or blood draw the invoice total increases according to the GOÄ surcharge factor and the services actually rendered. A written cost estimate is available on request before treatment.

The GOÄ allows a surcharge factor between 1.0× and 3.5× of the single rate — for house calls the 2.3× rate is standard, higher factors require written justification.

<ul><li>Up to 2.3×: no justification required — standard rate for most services</li><li>Over 2.3× up to 3.5×: written justification on the invoice required</li><li>For house calls a 2.3× factor is customary and accepted by private insurance</li></ul>

<h3>Transparency at RAB Berlin</h3>

You always get a detailed invoice with all GOÄ numbers, surcharge factors and reasoning. Before the visit we discuss the expected cost range.

Berlin is among Germany's larger cities with a high share of privately insured residents (see PKV-Verband and VDEK insurance statistics). Reimbursement of a GOÄ house call depends on your individual tariff. The following is typical:

<ul><li>Reimbursement scope: many full-cover tariffs cover GOÄ services up to 2.3×, and up to 3.5× in justified cases</li><li>Submit the invoice: pay on site, then submit to your insurer — reimbursement typically within 1–3 weeks</li><li>Deductible: if your tariff has one, it is applied — and not additionally reimbursed</li><li>Civil servants under Beihilfe: partial reimbursement (50–80&nbsp;%), the remainder via supplementary private insurance</li></ul>

Important: actual reimbursement depends on your individual tariff. When in doubt, a quick call to your insurer clarifies it — the „house call“ clause and the maximum reimbursed surcharge factor are the two decisive points.

Germany's private health insurance has several tariff families. Reimbursement for a private house call varies significantly:

This is an orientation aid — your individual contract terms are binding. Provider names are intentionally not listed because tariffs change continuously.

Civil servants, judges, soldiers and pensioners receive a portion of their healthcare costs from their employer. Rates are set by Beihilfe regulations:

Remaining costs (20–50&nbsp;%) are covered by a supplementary Beihilfe insurance in the PKV. Specific rates and exceptions are detailed in your employer's Beihilfe regulation.

<ol><li><strong> Receive invoice </strong> — You receive the GOÄ invoice digitally by email after the house call (or as paper original on request).</li><li><strong> Submit to insurer </strong> — Upload via insurer portal or app. Time: two minutes. Confirmation within 1–3 working days.</li><li><strong> Beihilfe holders: also submit Beihilfe claim </strong> — Use the same invoice. Some states allow digital submission, others paper only.</li><li><strong> Receive reimbursement </strong> — Typically 1–3 weeks after submission. If queries arise: contact your insurer — a rejection can be challenged if the service was billed per GOÄ.</li></ol>

Self-payers cover the GOÄ invoice directly — from 180 euros per house call. Statutorily insured patients may use the service as a private elective; statutory insurance does not reimburse it.

<ul><li>Self-payers: you pay the invoice directly. Typical cost from 180 EUR</li><li>Statutory insurance: GKV generally does not reimburse private house calls</li><li>Supplementary insurance: some outpatient supplementary tariffs do reimburse private services — check your policy</li></ul>

A private house call does not replace the ER for life-threatening emergencies — but offers a calmer, faster alternative for non-critical acute complaints without wait time or travel.

Important: the ER is for life-threatening emergencies. For non-life-threatening complaints a house call is often the better choice.

The basic service includes travel, history-taking, examination, diagnosis, advice, prescriptions and a written report — special diagnostics like ECG, IV or blood draw are billed separately per GOÄ.

<ul><li>Travel to your home</li><li>Detailed history and examination</li><li>Diagnosis and advice</li><li>Prescriptions and sick notes</li><li>Medication administration on site if needed</li><li>Digital report by e-mail</li><li>Coordination with your GP on request</li></ul>

Additional services (IV, blood draw, ECG) are charged separately per GOÄ and discussed beforehand.