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Most hospitals in Germany are underfunded and overworked. Sometimes, doctors work 30 hours at a stretch and they often have official 24 hours shifts.This is not very correct. There is not a single non-profit insurance company but the companies are bound by conditions set by the government. For example there is a unitary insurance contribution. However, if someone has no health insurance for some reason, treatment will not be denied.When people talk about the healthcare Insurance system, both sides rarely mention the German system. To the right it sounds too much like Obamacare, to the left it doesn't sound enough like free Single Payor.
What American Healthcare Can Learn From Germany - The Atlantic
Here is how it works:
(1) All children and the elderly (over 65 I believe) are paid for by the government. Think of medicare for minors and seniors.
(2) All Germans must get health insurance. They can choose between 160 non-profit (yet non-goverment) health insurance provides. Again these we would like non-profit private insurance provides. Think of it like credit unions. They have a bottomline, decently compensated employees, but they don't make a profits.
(3) Co-pays are low, and premiums are set at a percent of one's income. The person's employer pays half and the person pays half.
(4) The government covers the premiums while one is unemployed. I know the right attitude. Lazy people won't work in order to get insurance. For get food, rent and other necessities, they won't seek a job because they want insurance. Illogical.
(5) Each person has the option of opting out and getting private insurance if they choose, but their employer does not have to pick up 1/2 the tab.
(6) There are no network limitations.No deductibles.
(7) Good wait times
There are two kinds of health insurance companies: Public and private ones.
The private insurance is preferred by the medical practices, they earn more and the privately insured must directly pay out of pocket and gets his money back later from the insurance company. This is why the private insurance requires an high income, while the public insurance companies cannot reject people.
German hospitals practice the most surgical operations in Europe. Don't know about the rest of the world. To make money for the hospitals.
Krefeld rzte gegen 24-Stunden-Schicht
How is that any different than in the US?
I'm not talking about the U.S.
True, but the whole point of this thread is to state the US should try to move more towards a German style system. The German hospitals have funding issues, just as US hospitals have.
