As of today, many citizens will have to pay for a quick test themselves. Usually between 15 and 20 euros are called for each test. Occasionally, however, much more. Karl Lauterbach welcomes the regulation. Others are skeptical.
Without a vaccination, everyday corona will become more complicated for many – and also more expensive. Because rapid tests, which the non-vaccinated now often need for access to restaurants or events, are no longer simply free for everyone.
In the next few days, given the new market conditions, it remains to be seen how expensive tests will be. Recently, the demand for rapid tests has steadily declined due to more and more vaccinations. Naturally, this also reduced the supply. In the middle of the year, there were at times over 6000 pharmacies that are doing tests on the Corona information portal. In the meantime, according to the association, there are still around 4,000. In addition to pharmacies, thousands of test sites have also been set up nationwide. The first had already closed again in September, now a real wave of closings seems to follow.
Prices fluctuate a lot
So far, providers have received a fee of 11.50 euros for each rapid test. For more precise PCR tests, there was about 43 euros. Now the test providers can set the prices themselves – and sometimes charge significantly more. At a price of 11.50 euros, the Bavarian Red Cross stays close to the Austrian border for its test stations. “The test price in the BRK test centers is currently set at 11.50 euros”, according to the BRK. However, the number of test stations has been halved.
It is expected that the prices will level off around 20 euros. In Berlin For example, you are 14.90 euros (CovidZentrum and Bürgerestest Berlin), 15.00 euros (District pharmacy Alexanderplatz), 18.00 euros (testcenter-corona), 19.51 euros (berlin-Corona-test) or 19.90 euros included (rapid test Berlin). Appointments can also be made for 24.99 euros (coronatest.de) or 29.90 euros (coronatest-berlin). Berlin offers one interactive mapto find a test station nearby. Unfortunately, this is not up to date.
In Hamburg there are tests for 12.95 euros (Altländer pharmacies), for 13.00 euros (Secura, Drive-In), 14.95 euros (Corona Freepass), 16.99 euros (deincoronatest) or 29.00 euros (quick test Hamburg). There is also one in Hamburg interactive map available to Hamburg residents about test options and prices.
Munich also offers a lot of test stations with prices around 15 euros. 13.13 euros (Medicare Stachus), 13.30 euros (test-smart), 14.50 euros (for example Ludwigs-Apotheke or rapid test ZOB), 14.90 euros (for example covid-testzentrum, Test Now and Mycoronacheck) or 15.00 euros (rapid test HM) are the standard. But it’s also about 20 euros: 19.95 (Karwendel pharmacy), 20.00 euros (dein-coronacheck) or 22.00 euros (deintestbus, all locations) are called. Of course, 25.00 euros (Widder-Apotheke) or 29.90 euros (Samsutec) can easily be deposited in Munich. One interactive map with an overview of the open test stations is also available here.
The Corona test center calls 11.50 euros in Cologne-Trinkets on. This puts it at the bottom of the spectrum. 13.13 euros (medicare-deutz), 13.50 euros (citycare) or 13.90 euros (meincoronaschnelltest) are usually payable in Cologne, sometimes also 14.90 (meinschnelltest-koeln, rapid test center Ehrenfeld) or 15.00 Euros (Eifelstrasse test center). Of course, things are also more expensive in Cologne: For example, for 25.00 euros (test center Dom) or 39.00 euros (coronacheck-koelnsued).
Also in Frankfurt the provider Medicare is present and, as almost everywhere in its test stations, bills 13.13 euros. Otherwise the test price fluctuates around 15 euros: 14.50 euros (coronaschnelltest-ffm), 14.90 euros (15-minute test), 14.99 euros (rapid test-corona), 15.00 euros (5K pharmacy, ASB test centers) . Occasionally there are also test offers around 20 euros: 18.00 euros (German Red Cross), 19.00 euros (apo-quick test), 19.90 euros (we-test-us).
The situation is similar in the other large cities in Germany. In Stuttgart the prices fluctuate between 13.13 euros (Medicare), 13.95 euros (Charlotten pharmacy) and 15.00 euros (Schloss pharmacy). It is also possible for 20.00 euros (Schwanen pharmacy) or for a whopping 35.00 euros (Kontaktcafe). Hannover: Here, 14.50 euros (coronatest-hannover), 14.95 euros (corona freepass) or 20.00 euros (HelpNow24) are called up. In Dresden you can get a quick test for less than 10 euros. “Your test center” bills 9.95 euros (including the swimming pool test center). Otherwise the usual 14.95 euros (corona-freepass) or 19.90 euros (test center Schillerplatz) are required. Even Leipzig offers comparatively inexpensive rapid tests for 9.99 euros (test site at Brühl) and 11.50 euros (McMedi pharmacy). 18.95 euros must be paid at the main train station (pharmacy in Leipzig main station). In Düsseldorf As a rule, between 14.90 euros (rapid test at the main train station), 14.95 euros (Medicare), 18.90 euros (Heine pharmacy) and 29.00 euros (European pharmacy) for a rapid antigen test. Also in Bremen there are tests for 13.13 euros (Medicare). If you drive a little further out of the city, you can get the quick test for 9.95 euros (test center Bremen / Huching). Nürnberg has a relatively large number of rapid test stations on offer in pharmacies. 14.95 euros (Medicon pharmacy), 15.00 euros (Easy pharmacy), 17.50 euros (test center Fürth), 19.95 euros (Eichendorff pharmacy). But up to 29.90 euros (Kugel-Apotheke) are also called.
There is still extensive coverage
But also in small towns and in the country there are – still – test possibilities everywhere. The prices fluctuate, but are usually between just under 10.00 and 30.00 euros. on Sylt there are, for example, quick tests for 14.95 euros (corona Freepass). In St. Peter-Ording and Niebüll 15.00 euros are to be paid (intervivos). In North Rhine-Westphalia Ibbenbüren the local pharmacy offers tests from 9.95 euros (Apotheke Bockraden), in Hesse Wetzlar 25.00 euros (7 Mühlental pharmacies). In Fulda there are offers for 29.00 euros (Engel pharmacies) and 39.00 euros (Burg pharmacies). From 13.13 euros (Medicare) it goes in Saarbrücken and bad Godesberg the. Erftstadt has a drive-in station where appointments can be booked for 12.90 euros (driveinerftstadt), Freiburg in Breisgau offers extensive test options, for example for 14.50 euros (VitaVia pharmacy) or 19.90 euros (test center Europaplatz). In Konstanz around 14.50 euros are due at Lake Constance (test center Wirtshaus), in Garmisch-Partenkirchen 18.00 euros (Dreitorspitz pharmacy) and in Görlitz 17.50 Euro (ASB).
At the airport it goes into the money
Rapid tests at airports are more expensive. In Hanover and Leipzig, the providers charge 24.99 euros. At the Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Frankfurt airports, 29.00 euros are to be paid, and at the Nuremberg and Stuttgart airports 35.00 euros. At the Berlin airport BER in Schönefeld, antigen rapid tests cost 42.86 euros, 59.00 euros have to be turned over at Cologne / Bonn airport. It is only more expensive at Munich Airport. The provider Cenogene calls for 41.00 euros, Medicover 45.00 euros and the provider Medicare even demands 73.27 euros. Pro quick test, of course.
What will change from today?
As a rule, you have to pay for quick tests by trained staff, including a certificate of results, yourself from October 11th. They remain free for people who cannot be vaccinated. This is set out in an ordinance by Health Minister Jens Spahn, which implements a federal-state resolution.
Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Prime Minister agreed in August that the offer, financed by the federal government since March, should end with free “citizen tests” for everyone without corona symptoms. Since free vaccinations are possible for everyone, taxpayers no longer have to assume the cost of the test on a permanent basis, the reason was said.
Free tests continue to be available to children and contacts
Some transitional rules are planned. They should initially apply until December 31st. Tests remain free for until then
- Children from 12 to 17 years
- Pregnant women
The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) has only recently had a general vaccination recommendation for them, so they should have more time for vaccinations.
People generally continue to receive free tests
- who cannot be vaccinated against the coronavirus due to a medical contraindication – such as hypersensitivity.
- who are suspected of having a corona infection.
- who need a negative test result to end a quarantine.
- are the contact persons of a corona sufferer.
- who have not yet reached the age of twelve or have only been twelve years old for three months.
- People from abroad who are studying in Germany and have been vaccinated with vaccines not recognized in Germany until December 31st.
In order to continue to receive free tests, you have to present an official ID with a photo to the test center – in the case of children, the age must also be proven.
Extra evidence such as a doctor’s certificate is required if you cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons – according to the ministry, a diagnosis does not have to be given. The name, address and date of birth as well as information about the issuer of the certificate must be on it. The maternity card can be used to prove pregnancy.
Tests in schools or hospitals continue to be free of charge
In schools, hospitals or nursing homes, tests can or should continue to be free of charge until the end of the year. This applies to employees as well as to those who have not been vaccinated or who have not recovered who, for example, want to visit their relatives in the hospital. They must be offered a free test before entering the hospital.
Employers must also continue to provide their employees with free rapid tests.
Lauterbach welcomes paid tests
The Green health expert Janosch Dahmen warned that the change would come too early. “Without free tests, we will get fewer test results and more infections will go undetected,” he said. “We’re running into a shadow pandemic.” Instead of removing free tests, they should be linked to the vaccination campaign. “Anyone who accepts vaccination advice should receive a free test in return.”
The virologist Klaus Stöhr is also skeptical. “The question is: will you actually get those who you actually want to motivate to vaccinate?”, He said at ntv, or is the whole thing “counterproductive in the end?”
Karl Lauterbach sees it differently. The SPD health politician supports the end of the free corona rapid tests. “From my point of view, it is correct that those who are not yet vaccinated have to pay for the tests themselves. If it were not so, the vaccinated would have to pay the unvaccinated for the tests,” said Lauterbach ntv. In addition, paid tests are also an “incentive to get vaccinated now”. This pressure is necessary because the vaccination rate has to be increased. “Those who do not want to be vaccinated can at least be asked to pay for the tests they need themselves,” Lauterbach continues.
The municipalities also welcome the move. “We do not assume that the discontinuation of free tests will lead to serious social conflicts,” said the chief executive of the Association of Towns and Municipalities, Gerd Landsberg. “In view of a vaccination rate of 80 percent in adults, this is the right step,” said the President of the German District Association, Reinhard Sager.
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