Health Care in Germany

1
Health Care in Germany

• A brief overview
• Herr Riddle

2
Culture Capsule

• You wake up one morning at your host familys and
  your eye is swollen shut. You are insured as a
  foreigner. You would
• A. Go to the hospital emergency
• B. You cant go to the hospital (your insurance
  doesnt cover it)
• C. Have to make an appointment with an Arzt

3
Culture Capsule

• You are in the emergency room, waiting for a
  doctor. You havent made an appointment. It
  will probably take you
• A. As long as it takes in America about 20
  minutes
• B. Its Saturday, so about 2 hours.
• C. The system is so good, they see you right away!

4
Culture Capsule

• In Germany, health insurance is mandatory.
  Compared to American prices, insurance is
• A. about the same
• B. very expensive
• C. dirt cheap

5
A Brief History

• 1883 Health Insurance Act
• GKV - gesetzliche Krankenversicherung
• 26 of lower-paid
• 10 of Population
• 1995 if you earn less than the income ceiling,
  you must participate (DM 70,000)

6
Statistics

• 16 states share responsibility with BT
• 2030 Hospitals
• 790 public, 820 non profit, 420 private
• Many are run by churches
• WHO 358/ 100,000 (America has 279)

7
Overview

• EVERYONE until the are 65 has to pay into a state
  Krankenversicherung
• America - between 25 and 30 UNINSURED!!!
• Between 300 and 400 plans
• Employees contribute about 14 shouldered equally
  from employee and employer
• It is possible to purchase private insurance

8
Whats it like?

• Same concept
• Allgemeinmediziner
• Fachärzte
• Hausarzt - transfer if necessary
• LONG waits
• You have to pay 10 Euro per quarter on your first
  visit per doctor unless referred

9
Does Germany have a good health care system?

• According to WHO YES!
• Germany ranks 25th out of almost 200 beating
  America which is 37
• Publicly insured patience are at no disadvantage
• Opposite is true in America

10
Concerns

• Lack of screening for breast cancer
• Under developed palliative care system
• Approximately 12 beds per million
• Many fear that the rich poor diachotomy is
  emerging despite the generally excellent results.