Guaranteed Health Care for Everyone

Its funny how when you least expect it things can just jump right out and bite you. Last night I was reading the display boards outside high school German class at ‘Back to School Night’ for parents.

 

“Guaranteed Health Care for Everyone” was ranked #1 by this high school classroom as a feature of Germany. I just had to do some further net surfin'when I got home. .

 

In fact German medicine has twice crossed over into Patti's treatment of Chronic Progressive MS. Early in her diagnosis Patti went to Germany to visit a clinic offering alternative treatments unavailable in the US. Then years later she was temporarily approved for Avonex in the US based on studies done in Germany where Avonex had always been available to Chronic Progressive MS.

 

Some interesting tidbits I found ...

 

.....the German health care system provides comprehensive medical services for all German citizens. The health care system rests on three pillars: 1. Primary care by general practitioners 2. Acute care hospitals 3. After-care and Rehabilitation Clinics

 

.... everyone uses the same health care facilities.

 

... instead of being paid for by taxes, the system is financed mostly by health care insurance premiums, both compulsory and voluntary.

 

... some 92 percent of Germany's residents receive health care through statutory health insurance … Those not insured through these funds, mostly civil servants and the self-employed, have private for-profit insurance. Only an estimated 0.3 percent of the population has no health insurance of any kind. They are generally the rich who do not need it and the very poor, who receive health care through social assistance.

 

... following the United States and Britain, Germany boasts the highest number of doctors to have received the Nobel prize.

For further information: The German health insurance system