Germany

Question 1

History

Answer 1

Otto van Bismarck in 1883 started universal healthcare and the system stems from that

Question 2

System

Answer 2

Statutory health insurance covers 90% of the population. There is 105 sickness funds (health insurance companies). Some Germans get PI for private hospital rooms. Government workers do get private insurance instead, btw. It’s slightly better

Question 3

Financing

Answer 3

12% of GDP, 6k per person. Paid for by a progressive employee/employee taxing ; patient out of pocket payments; employees and employers pay about 7% of their income and retirees do a tax on pension and unemployed get taxes on that

Question 4

Patient choice

Answer 4

Free choice of physicians and sickness funds(which are similar anyway). Each of these funds bargains with doctors over pay

Question 5

Long term care

Answer 5

In 94 they enacted mandatory long term health insurance . All Germans pay 1% of monthly income and employers match; pensioners pay 2.5%; people usually buy supplemental long term private insurance, because this doesn’t cover the FULL cost

Question 6

Prescription drugs

Answer 6

Government regulation

Question 7

Cost sharing

Answer 7

Small co pay for doctors visits(2% max of monthly income); $11 co pay on prescription drugs

Question 8

Challenges

Answer 8

Short on nurses bad on EHRs