Probably no country in either Eastern or Western Europe is free from the problem of rapidly growing healthcare costs. Since the health needs of the population cannot be fully met solely with the use of public funds, it is necessary to revise the current obligations of the state in this area. The article describes one of the methods for creating a more economic relationship between the patient and service provider through the participation of patients in the costs of health services. The aim of the article is to show opportunities and threats resulting from this mechanism in a wide economic and social context. The author highlights the pitfalls of cost-sharing programs while referring to economic theory. The article presents the experiences of Western European countries in the financial involvement of patients and the prospects of extensive patient participation in Poland. The author concludes that, as far as the costs of health services are concerned, the effectiveness of the patient participation mechanism is limited.