Finance Policy
This Finance Policy forms part of our Terms of Service. It explains what our service costs, how we earn, and where the prices on our website come from.
Key Takeaways
- Bookimed is free for patients — you pay the clinic according to its own bills.
- Under our agreements with clinics, a Bookimed patient pays the same price as one who came to the clinic directly, and sometimes less.
- We earn a commission from clinics for handling their international patient departments. It is paid by the clinic, not by you, and does not change your price.
- Clinics cannot buy a higher position in our organic results. They can pay to promote an offer — those are labeled "Ad" and sit on top of results that are already ordered.
- All prices come from the clinic and are provisional; ask your coordinator for a written breakdown before you pay.
What Does Bookimed's Service Cost You?
Choosing a clinic and arranging your trip is free — you pay the clinic directly, at the same price as any patient.
Nothing. Choosing a clinic and a specialist, contacting a clinic through Bookimed, and arranging your trip are free for patients.
For consultations and treatment, you pay the clinic according to its own bills.
Neither we nor the clinic adds a surcharge to your bill for coming through us. Under our agreements with clinics, a Bookimed patient pays the same price as a patient who approached the clinic directly. Sometimes it is lower, because some clinics offer discounts to Bookimed patients.
How Does Bookimed Earn?
We receive a commission from the medical centers we work with, for taking on the work of their international patient departments.
That commission is paid by the clinic, not by you, and it does not change the price you pay.
Do Clinics Pay to Be Listed?
No. A clinic does not pay us for a place in our results, and it cannot buy a higher organic position.
What a clinic needs in order to appear at all is a current agreement with us. Beyond that, its position is decided by the ranking system described in our Clinic Ranking Policy.
Our ranking system holds no information about what a clinic pays us. There is no field in it for commission, contract value, or advertising spend.
Can Clinics Pay for Placement?
Yes, and it is labeled.
Clinics can pay to have their offers promoted in our listings. Paid offers are labeled "Ad" in our clinic listings, so you can tell them from the rest. Payment for a promoted offer is a fee per patient inquiry.
ExamplePrime Clinic Istanbul
Sapphire FUE Hair Transplant
$1,800 $2,300
What paid promotion does not do: it does not change a clinic's position in our organic results, and it does not affect the ranking system in any way. The two run separately — promotion is added on top of results that have already been ordered.
The order of our organic results is produced automatically, without anyone at Bookimed placing clinics by hand. How it works is set out in our Clinic Ranking Policy.
Where Do Our Prices Come From, and How Current Are They?
All prices on our website and in a clinic's treatment program are provisional, and they come from the clinic.
A clinic may change the scope and cost of a procedure depending on your test results or how your body responds to treatment. A clinic may also change its prices without telling us, in which case what you see here is out of date.
For a current price for your case, send us a request and your coordinator will confirm it with the clinic.
Can the Final Price Differ From the Estimate?
Yes — in both directions.
The main reason is the volume of what is actually done, which can change once you have been examined or once treatment has begun. Materials, additional procedures, extra nights, and medication are commonly billed separately from the procedure itself.
Before you pay, ask your coordinator for a written breakdown of what is and is not included, and what happens if more material is needed than estimated. See Travel Requirements.
How Do I Pay for Treatment?
As a rule, you pay the clinic directly, at the clinic, against its bill. Cash, card, and bank transfer are usually accepted, but this varies — ask your coordinator what applies at your clinic.
For treatment fees, we are not a party to the transaction. The money goes from you to the clinic, and we do not hold it or process it.
A confirmation deposit is the one exception. Depending on the clinic, you may be asked to pay a deposit of $200 or €200 to Bookimed on the clinic's behalf. That amount is then deducted from what you pay the clinic. Details, including refund conditions: Payment and Deposit Terms.
How Is My Appointment Confirmed?
Depending on the clinic, you may need no deposit, a $200/€200 Bookimed deposit, or a clinic's own deposit of 5–50%.
Whether a deposit is required depends on your clinic. There are three possibilities:
- Some clinics hold your appointment on copies of your passport and tickets, with no prepayment.
- Some ask for a deposit of $200 or €200 paid to Bookimed on their behalf.
- Some ask for a deposit of their own, typically 5% to 50% of the total, paid directly to them.
A clinic's own deposit is a financial guarantee of your arrival, separate from a Bookimed confirmation deposit. Once it is paid, the clinic fixes the date and time of your visit and issues an official invitation.
If the final price turns out lower than the deposit you paid, the clinic returns the difference to your account. If higher, you pay the difference.
Can I Pay in Advance?
At some clinics you can choose to pay for a defined set of services in advance. In that case, the clinic becomes entitled to the funds only after those services have actually been provided to you. Third-party payment providers may be involved in holding and transferring the money.
Are There Discounts Available?
We negotiate discounts with partner clinics. Where one applies, it is shown in the clinic's catalog for that condition or procedure, marked with a "Super Price" label, and on our special offers page.
Who Do I Contact With Questions?
finance@ for financial questions, bills@ for deposits and refunds, care@ or your coordinator for anything else.
Financial questions: finance@bookimed.com. Deposits and refunds: bills@bookimed.com. Anything else — your coordinator, or care@bookimed.com.