Health Care in Germany

Health Care in Germany

By

Nabil Fakhoury

Florida Atlantic University

Into to Health Care Systems (HSA 6103)

Dr. Shehadeh

Fall 2014

Table of contents

Abstract2

Introduction2

Access and Coverage2

Expenditures and Finance3

Advantages4

Drawbacks5

Hospitals and physicians5

Conclusion7

Introduction

The German health care system can be traced back to the 1883, when Von Bismark passed a health insurance bill into a law. The German health care model is still known as the “Bismark Model” nowadays (Khazan, 2014). Despite all the controversy surrounding many of the changes the German system has undergone, Germany is still able to spend a fraction of what the United States spends on health care while providing good quality care that is accessible to everyone (Green & Irving, 2001). Germany spends $4,495 per capita while the U.S. Spends $8,508 per capita (Gopffarth, 2012). According to Dr. Dirk Gopffarth, Germany favors balancing its health care management over balancing the market competition (Gopffarth, 2012). The German health care system has many benefits and drawbacks which are discussed later. Health care financing relies mostly on sick funds and government contributions. Germany is the only country in European Union with a supplemental private health insurance (Riesberg & Worz, 2008). The majority of insurance in Germany is provided though the public statutory health insurance system. The system consists of approximately 242 different sickness funds that determine eligibility on a per family basis (Green & Irving, 2001). The hospital system in Germany is very different from the U.S., with public hospitals making up more than half of the total number of hospitals.

Access and Coverage

As of 2009, all Germans citizens are required to have health insurance by law. The Public Statutory health Insurance Scheme (SHI) covers those who earn less than 49,500 euros per year. Those who earn more than 49,500 Euros have the option to buy into a private health...