EN«How much will this cost?» is one of the first questions, and an honest answer starts not with a figure but with questions: which subtype, where the tumour sits, how extensive the surgery is, whether radiotherapy is needed. With sarcoma the sum is more individual than with most other diagnoses, since two patients with the same word in the diagnosis can end up with completely different plans.
Instead of a price list, this page breaks down the cost of sarcoma treatment in Germany: which parts the bill consists of, who issues them, and what to send to get a written estimate in the patient’s name. The treatment itself is covered under sarcoma treatment in Germany.
What the bill is made of
The bill is made of the work-up, surgery, radiotherapy and drug treatment. The work-up and review of the diagnosis cover MRI of the region, a chest CT, PET-CT where needed, a re-read of slides and blocks by a pathologist, immunohistochemistry (tissue stains showing the cell type) and molecular tests: separate items that weigh more with sarcoma than with common tumours, because the diagnosis is established again.
Surgery costs depend on the extent of removal, work on vessels and nerves, soft tissue reconstruction, an endoprosthesis for tumours of bone and joints, the length of the anaesthetic and the inpatient days.
Radiotherapy is counted by sessions and technique, drug treatment by cycles and drugs; reference figures are on the pages on the cost of radiotherapy and the cost of chemotherapy.
| Cost item | Depends on | Guide figure |
|---|---|---|
| MRI, CT, PET-CT where needed | area, contrast | GOÄ rates: CT about 500 euros, MRI about 800 euros |
| Slide and block review, immunohistochemistry, molecular tests | number of blocks and tests | hospital’s estimate |
| Surgery and inpatient stay | extent of removal, reconstruction, endoprosthesis, anaesthetic, inpatient days | hospital’s estimate |
| Radiotherapy | number of sessions, technique | hospital’s estimate |
| Drug treatment | drugs, number of cycles | hospital’s estimate |
How does this turn into a bill? A German hospital bills an inpatient case through the DRG system, its sum set by the case group and a base rate valid across the federal state; by law the prices are the same for every patient of the hospital. Doctors’ services follow the GOÄ medical fee schedule, and here a foreign patient without German insurance pays a different rate than an insured one: they pay the doctors as private patients do, while statutory insurance calculates differently for the insured. In hospital, chosen extras are billed outside the DRG, and the medical ones, such as treatment by the head of department, follow the GOÄ, with a multiplier set by difficulty and time under the same rules for every private patient, as the official text of the GOÄ lays down. This is a lawful difference, not a mark-up.
Why a sarcoma estimate comes in two steps
Two steps, because before the tumour board, a joint review of the case by doctors of several specialties, nobody knows whether treatment starts with surgery or radiotherapy. So the hospital first costs only the work-up and the re-read of the specimen.
After the board a second estimate follows, for the treatment itself. This is not a trick: the plan depends on the sarcoma’s subtype and grade, meaning how aggressively its cells grow, both clarified in the first step.
Figures online vary because people compare incomparable things: a single operation against a full cycle with radiotherapy and drug courses. Go by a written estimate from a particular hospital; how cancer treatment prices in Germany are built is explained separately.
What an estimate usually does not cover
An estimate usually does not cover accommodation, transfers, meals for the companion or an interpreter: these are separate costs, counted outside the clinical bill.
Nor does it cover medicines after discharge, follow-up imaging at home or a repeat trip for a check-up. With sarcoma, follow-up runs for years, and these costs are worth planning for.
For medical reasons, a wider operation, an extra course or a longer stay may be added; the hospital agrees such items separately, so ask about them in advance.
What to send in order to get an estimate
The hospital needs documents showing what is already known; the fuller the package, the more accurate the estimate and the less likely the figure is to change after arrival:
- discharge summaries and doctors’ reports;
- the biopsy result, if there is one;
- MRI and CT discs;
- recent laboratory results.
Next comes the paperwork: the hospital’s written reply, the invitation letter and the medical visa (see medical visa for Germany). The hospital states the timings.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a sarcoma treatment estimate before I arrive?
Yes, in steps. From the documents sent, the hospital first drafts a written estimate for the work-up and the re-read of the specimen; the estimate for the treatment follows the tumour board, once it is decided whether to start with surgery or radiotherapy. The final invoice reflects the services actually delivered.
Is the bill higher for a foreign patient than for an insured one?
Not for the hospital part: by law, DRG prices are the same for every patient of the hospital. The difference lies in the doctors’ work: without German insurance a patient pays the doctors under the GOÄ, like any private patient, while statutory insurance calculates differently for the insured. A lawful difference, not a mark-up.
Does the estimate include follow-up after treatment?
Usually not: the estimate covers the work-up and treatment under the agreed plan. Medicines after discharge, follow-up imaging at home and repeat trips for check-ups are paid separately. With sarcoma, follow-up runs for years, so plan for these costs early and ask the doctor which tests can be done at home.
How AlenMed obtains an estimate from the hospital
AlenMed sends the documents to the relevant department, and the hospital draws up a written estimate in the patient’s name. The company works with 86 partner hospitals in 38 German cities and 345 doctors; its office is in Munich. Payment goes directly to the hospital against its invoice, and the organisational service is paid separately and shown in the documents.
Before paying, ask what exactly the estimate covers, what is counted separately and what happens to it if the plan changes after the tumour board. If you are still weighing up the tactics, see the page on soft tissue sarcoma.
This material is for information only and is not a public offer: the exact sum is set by the particular hospital’s written estimate in the patient’s name, and the treatment plan is decided by a doctor in person.