IGeL calculator: how much self-pay potential does your practice have?
See in 2 minutes how high your self-pay share is, how you compare, and what revenue potential lies in individual health services (IGeL), i.e. self-pay services.
Free · GDPR-compliant · Result in 2 minutes
Model calculation. Source of the comparison values: Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), cost structure statistics in the medical sector 2024. Your figures are processed in your browser and not transmitted.
What the IGeL calculator gives you
Your self-pay share at a glance
The calculator shows what share of your revenue comes from IGeL and other self-pay services. So you can see at a glance where your practice stands compared with others.
Potential in euros
From your figures, the tool derives what additional revenue would be realistic with more self-pay patients. The potential is shown in euros per month and per year.
Benchmark included
Your self-pay revenue is set against official private billing income: in 2024 it was 14.2 percent for general practitioners and 27.1 percent across all practices, private health insurance (PKV) included (Destatis).
How to calculate your IGeL potential
Enter your figures
Enter your practice revenue, the number of patients, the number of self-pay patients and the revenue per self-pay patient. You only need the practice revenue for the comparison with other practices.
Contact details
Leave your contact details to unlock the analysis. Details carried over from another MediPulse tool are already filled in.
Get your result
You get your self-pay share, the comparison with the average and, if you wish, the potential. Everything is available on screen and as a PDF.
IGeL and self-pay: how much revenue potential is there in your practice?
For many practices, self-pay services are an important second revenue stream alongside statutory health insurance billing. How large this share is and how much room there is for growth depends on specialty, patient base and range of services. Here are the key points.
What counts as self-pay services
These include individual health services (IGeL) and other privately billed services that are not in the benefits catalog of the statutory health insurance funds. They are billed under the German medical fee schedule (GOÄ). Typical examples are preventive care beyond what insurance covers, travel medicine advice or certain patient-requested examinations.
How high the share usually is
There is no official self-pay share. The cost structure statistics of Destatis (Federal Statistical Office) only report income from private billing, private health insurance (PKV) and self-pay combined: in 2024, an average of 27.1 percent of income across all practices, 14.2 percent in general medicine, 48.9 in dermatology and 35.2 percent in gynecology. The pure self-pay share is lower. The calculator therefore sets your self-pay revenue against these values as an upper bound.
How the revenue potential comes about
The potential results from the number of your patients, today's self-pay share and the average revenue per self-pay patient. Even a few additional services per week add up to a noticeable amount over the year.
Between offering and informing
Self-pay services are subject to clear rules, including factual information for the patient, a written agreement and correct GOÄ billing. Offered in a professional way, they strengthen the practice without straining patients' trust.
Keep costs in mind
Additional revenue is of little use if costs grow along with it. How much of your revenue goes to staff today is shown by the staff cost ratio calculator. If you look at revenue potential and cost structure together, you see more quickly where extra effort really pays off.
Frequently asked questions
What are IGeL or self-pay services?
Individual health services (IGeL) are services that patients pay for themselves because their statutory health insurance does not cover them. They are billed under the German medical fee schedule (Gebührenordnung für Ärzte, GOÄ).
Which IGeL services are typical?
Common IGeL include glaucoma screening (intraocular pressure measurement), ultrasound without an insurance indication, extended preventive care and cancer screening, as well as travel-related and patient-requested services. Which ones make sense depends on the individual case.
What is the average self-pay share?
There is no official figure for self-pay alone. Destatis reports income from private billing, i.e. private health insurance and self-pay combined: in 2024, 14.2 percent of income in general medicine and 27.1 percent across all practices (cost structure statistics in the medical sector). The self-pay share alone is smaller.
What data do I need?
You need your practice revenue per month, the number of patients and self-pay patients per quarter, and the average revenue per self-pay patient. The practice revenue is optional and is used for the comparison.
Is the calculator free?
Yes, the calculator is free and non-binding. You need neither a subscription nor a credit card, only valid contact details to unlock it.
What happens to my data?
Your data is processed in compliance with the GDPR and used solely to get in touch with you. It is not passed on to third parties.
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