Short answer: According to the Federal Ministry of Health, copayments in 2027 are to rise by 50 percent once the act is in force. For medicines the draft sets 10 percent of the retail price, at least 7.50 and at most 15 euros. Today the maximum is 10 euros. The annual cap stays at 2 percent of gross income. Last updated: November 2026.
Anyone who regularly needs medicines, therapies or hospital stays pays copayments in statutory health insurance. Higher amounts are planned for 2027. This guide shows what applies today, what the draft bill provides and how to calculate your burden over the year.
The essentials in brief
- Today, for medicines: 10 percent of the retail price, at least 5 and at most 10 euros.
- The draft bill provides for 10 percent, at least 7.50 and at most 15 euros.
- The Health Committee removed the annual adjustment of copayments.
- The annual cap remains at 2 percent of gross income, for chronically ill persons at 1 percent.
- Amounts for hospital stays and therapies must be checked in the promulgated act.
What applies today to medicines?
Under section 61 of the Social Code Book V (SGB V), copayments amount to 10 percent of the retail price. The amount is at least 5 euros and at most 10 euros, and it never exceeds the cost of the medicine. For a pack with a retail price of 20 euros you pay 5 euros, for one at 150 euros you pay 10 euros.
The annual cap under section 62 SGB V limits the sum of copayments in a calendar year. Once you reach the cap, your health insurer issues a certificate, and further copayments fall away for the year.
What does the draft bill provide?
The committee report on the draft bill of 8 July 2026 sets a rate for medicines of 10 percent of the retail price, at least 7.50 and at most 15 euros. In the draft, the annual cap stays at 2 percent of gross income, for chronically ill persons at 1 percent.
| Retail price | Copayment today | Copayment under the draft |
|---|---|---|
| 20 euros | 5 euros | 7.50 euros |
| 60 euros | 6 euros | 7.50 euros |
| 150 euros | 10 euros | 15 euros |
The table assumes that the draft becomes law unchanged. The promulgated version may differ, so the statutory text is decisive. The Health Committee also removed the annual adjustment, so the amounts stay fixed until the legislator changes them again.
How high does the burden get over a year?
The annual cap applies across the whole calendar year. The example below uses assumptions to show the order of magnitude. It is not a forecast for your situation.
- Assumption: 1,000 euros gross income per month, so 12,000 euros per year.
- Annual cap: 2 percent of 12,000 euros, so 240 euros per year.
- With a chronic illness the cap is 1 percent, so 120 euros per year.
- Once the cap is reached, further copayments in the same calendar year fall away.
If other relatives live in the same household, the income to be counted is reduced under section 62 subsection 2 SGB V. This can move the cap in practice, so a check on the individual case is worthwhile.
What applies to hospital stays and therapies?
For inpatient stays section 61 SGB V currently provides a daily copayment of 10 euros. According to the ministry, copayments overall are to rise by 50 percent. The exact daily rates and the amounts for therapies such as physiotherapy are set out in the promulgated act and must be checked there.
Aids follow their own rules, which cannot be mixed with the amounts for medicines. If you use several types of service, look at each category separately and keep the total within the annual cap.
How do copayments add up over the year?
Copayments are added up over the calendar year, not per treatment or per prescription. If you need one pack in January and two more in December, all three amounts count within the same year. Only when the total reaches the annual cap does the obligation to pay end for that year.
The count starts again with the new year. This holds even if you already paid high amounts in December. It is therefore worth checking the running total towards the end of the year, before larger prescriptions fall due.
Which mistakes should you avoid with copayments?
- Failing to record copayments during the year and therefore missing the annual cap.
- Not requesting the insurer’s certificate even though the cap has been reached.
- Not keeping pharmacy receipts that show the retail price.
- Forgetting the change of year and carrying amounts from the previous year into the new one.
Frequently asked questions
Does the copayment apply to all medicines?
The copayment is tied to the retail price and is charged for each pack dispensed. The act regulates exemptions for certain groups of people. For questions about an exemption, your health insurer is the right contact.
When am I exempt from copayments?
An exemption does not follow from a request alone. The annual cap under section 62 SGB V is decisive. Anyone who reaches it receives a certificate of exemption and does not have to pay further copayments for the rest of the year.
When do the new amounts apply?
The figures refer to the year 2027. You will find the exact reference date and the date of promulgation in the Federal Law Gazette. Until the act is promulgated, today’s rules remain in force.
How much do I pay per pack?
The copayment depends on the retail price of the pack, not on the number of tablets. You will find the price on the pharmacy receipt. For an individual calculation, the retail price is therefore the figure to use.
What to do now
- Record your copayments for the current year so that you do not miss the annual cap.
- Ask your insurer for a certificate as soon as the cap is reached.
- For long-term medicines, check the retail price, because it determines the copayment.
- For questions about your personal situation, individual advice from Academycon is available.
Related guides
- Krankenkasse 2027: What changes for insured persons and students
- Pharmacy copayment 2027
- Copayment exemption and annual cap for students (in German)
- GKV reform 2026
- Dental prostheses 2027
Sources: Gesetze im Internet: section 61 SGB V, copayments (retrieved November 2026), German Bundestag: printed paper 21/7023 of 8 July 2026, report on the draft bill, Federal Ministry of Health: FAQ on the GKV contribution rate stabilisation act
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
