The United States has a complex healthcare system. It cannot be labeled a single-payer system or a multi-payer system. It is a hybrid healthcare system that integrates both private insurance as well as government-provided insurance. In this presentation, the United States healthcare system will be compared with the healthcare system of Germany. The government enacted the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 which ensures all Americans have access to healthcare. This was intended to provide healthcare for all people in the United States, but it still has gaps. The rates established for many are still unattainable even with the partnership of government and employer contributions.
Germany's healthcare system is universal care which requires all citizens to have health insurance. It is statutory health insurance that is dependent on income. The more you make in Germany the more you pay for your insurance each month. The health insurance premium is the same across all statutory insurers: 14.6% of your gross income, but only up to a certain income level (InformedHealth.org, 2016). The employer and insured employee share the costs equally, paying 7.3% each (InformedHealth.org, 2016).
The United States healthcare system has varied coverage for its citizens. There are government-funded programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. About 84% of the population is covered by either public (26%) or private (70%) health insurance (Goran, R., 2012). Most of the private healthcare is purchased from individuals' employment. Commercial insurance is purchased by the employer using a group-driven discount. Very rarely do Americans purchase their own insurance directly from commercial insurance due to the high cost of premiums. One of the similarities that Germany and the United States share is the fee schedule for payment for services is mainly determined by the independent insurers, providers, and large employee groups not the government. Another similarity is the United States and Germany mandate cost controls. Germany's system is similar to the United States DRG mechanism in controlling the charges related to a specific admission classification. The unemployed can seek low-cost insurance from the Marketplace which is provided by the ACA or they may qualify for no-cost insurance from Medicaid.
The ACA is intended for all children to have medical coverage in the United States. The United States has established both Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP, which in some states is an extension of Medicaid and in others a separate program, covered more than 8.1 million children in low-income families in 2015(International.commonwealthfund.org, 2016).
Children are covered by state provided insurance until a certain age in Germany. Matter of fact spouses and children do not cost any extra of the primary insured person as long as the spouse or children do not earn any money. If a child has a disability, the child is cove...
