German Healthcare System The German health care system is a decentralized system that is mostly run by government agencies. The country provides health insurance for most citizens, but there is also the option of private health insurance, which is utilized by a small portion of the population. It is mandatory for every citizen to have health care coverage. The government plays a large role in the health care system including insurance, hospitals, and other health care activities. This is much different from the more privately controlled United States system. Overall, the system has many aspects that are mostly regulated by the government and provide many services to its citizens.
Structure of the Health Care System The structure of the German …show more content…
Preventative, physician, hospital services, rehabilitation, mental health care, dental care, sick leave compensation, and prescription drugs are some of the services that come with SHI. However, long term care is covered under a separate insurance plan, but is still a part of the mandatory insurance coverage (Green). Consumers have a choice in which insurance company they are covered by and most cover the same basic services, but some can pay for additional things, such as travel vaccinations (“Health Insurance in …show more content…
Health care costs also account for about 7.8% of a consumer’s spending. These rates are much higher than those seen in Germany, but do not translate to better health care (Brooks).
Health Outcomes
Additionally, there is the health of the population that can assess if the health care system is working to keep citizens healthy. The life expectancy overall is 80.8 years, which is slightly above the average in Europe. For infant mortality, Germany has 3.4 deaths per 1000 live births as of 2010 (Busse). The death rate in 2015 was 1100 deaths per 100,000 people and the most common causes include heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s disease (“Germany”). In the US, the numbers are slightly different, such as the life expectancy of a man is 76.4 while for a woman it is 81.2. The US has a mortality rate of 839.1 deaths per 100,000 men and it is 804.4 deaths for women. Some of the most common causes are long term diseases, such as cancer and heart problems. The infant mortality rate is 6.1 deaths per 1000 live births, which is significantly higher than Germany
Structure of the Health Care System The structure of the German …show more content…
Preventative, physician, hospital services, rehabilitation, mental health care, dental care, sick leave compensation, and prescription drugs are some of the services that come with SHI. However, long term care is covered under a separate insurance plan, but is still a part of the mandatory insurance coverage (Green). Consumers have a choice in which insurance company they are covered by and most cover the same basic services, but some can pay for additional things, such as travel vaccinations (“Health Insurance in …show more content…
Health care costs also account for about 7.8% of a consumer’s spending. These rates are much higher than those seen in Germany, but do not translate to better health care (Brooks).
Health Outcomes
Additionally, there is the health of the population that can assess if the health care system is working to keep citizens healthy. The life expectancy overall is 80.8 years, which is slightly above the average in Europe. For infant mortality, Germany has 3.4 deaths per 1000 live births as of 2010 (Busse). The death rate in 2015 was 1100 deaths per 100,000 people and the most common causes include heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s disease (“Germany”). In the US, the numbers are slightly different, such as the life expectancy of a man is 76.4 while for a woman it is 81.2. The US has a mortality rate of 839.1 deaths per 100,000 men and it is 804.4 deaths for women. Some of the most common causes are long term diseases, such as cancer and heart problems. The infant mortality rate is 6.1 deaths per 1000 live births, which is significantly higher than Germany