...Germany's Healthcare System: An Overview Bradley Webster American Sentinel Professor Kehm Germany's Healthcare System: An Overview Germany has long been regarded has having a very efficient and cost effective healthcare system. In this essay several aspects of this system will be evaluated from what works well to what doesn’t. Despite Germany’s highly functional healthcare system they too are going to have to face the challenges that every other developed country is facing: a growing elder population and the ever increasing costs of healthcare in conjunction with a waning economy. Alarming statistics, such as the following, will demand Germanys attention as well as the vast majority of developed counties with questionably sustainable health care systems. Populations in developed nations have been rapidly aging for several years at a rate that will only increase before achieving equilibrium between 2050 and 2060. Most developing countries outside of Africa also will experience a rapid growth in older populations over the next forty years and by 2030, these countries will contain 70 percent or more of the world's population that is ages 60 and older (Polivka & Baozhen, 2013, p. 39). Germany’s Type of Healthcare System The German social health insurance (SHI) system is an internationally prominent health care system primarily funded by payroll contributions shared by employers and employees and managed by nonprofit sickness funds. Whereas, like the United...
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...Healthcare in Germany vs. U.S.A Western Governors University Organizational Systems and Quality Leadership Germany’s and the United States’ healthcare systems compare and contrast in many ways. Germany has the third richest economy in the world and many categorize their healthcare system as socialized. Germany provides medical care to all of the citizens—young, poor, old, sick, and injured. Otto von Bismarck the Prussian chancellor in the 1880s in Germany invented the concept of healthcare systems, the notion that a government has to provide mechanisms so all its people can get medical care when they need it. In 1883, the Sickness Insurance Act was passed, representing the first social insurance program. Over the past 130 years the system has grown to the point where virtually all of the population is provided access to medical care. The Germans have what they call “Sickness Funds”, which are paid for by premiums based on income to one of 240 private insurers. A worker earning 60,000 would split a $750 family premium with their employer. It is more expensive than the U.K. but cheaper than the U.S. by about two thirds. It is a system where the rich pay for the poor and the ill are covered by the healthy (Saul, 2014). The United States healthcare system until recently has been mostly controlled by private industries and insurance companies, although we do have Medicare and Medicaid for the old and poor. Recently the Affordable Healthcare Act has been passed which requires...
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...[1] Germany’s healthcare system uses a multipayer system that is very much like health care program used in the United States. But unlike the United States, Germany also provides universal healthcare to all German citizens. German’s have the option of either using the government provided health programs or to obtain their own private health care insurance. The government provided universal healthcare also know as “sickness funds” which pay the doctors as well as hospitals certain rates that are under negotiation annually (Universal Health Care Systems). This program is funded by employers and employee’s by removing a mandated fee for payroll checks. Participants in the sickness funds’ programs have to pay a small co-pay for doctor visits and medications as well. Despite the assurance that they are covered medically in case anything shall happen to them, Germans are not happy with the current health care system. [2] Providing quality health care for all of Germany’s citizens has always been a priority in Germany. This was proven in 1883, when Germany became the first country in the world to mandate health insurance (DiPiero, 31). Germany believes that everyone should be able to share the same health insurance despite social status. [3] Germany’s health care system does have its plus side. In a recent study done by the World Health Organization’s statistics stated that “Germany has around 358 doctors per 100,000 inhabitants, well ahead of the...
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...Smart Cards for Future Healthcare Systems Secure, efficient, reliable Card-based e-health networks: cutting costs and improving care All around the world, news paper headlines warn about the exploding costs of health care. Advanced medicines and technology are boosting life expectancy. As a result, people can now look forward to living past the age of 80 – twice as long as 100 years ago. This trend, however, has the side effect of driving up healthcare costs. As people get older, they need more frequent and more expensive care, causing the price of insurance to skyrocket. Clearly, something needs to be done to contain these costs. A number of countries have implemented conventional measures aimed at saving money. One of the most basic measures is the introduction of cardbased ehealth net works, which can help reduce costs remarkably. Card for physicians and phar macists, and a Card Application Management System (CAMS). Patient Data Card The Patient Data Card is a PINprotected smart card incor porating a microprocessor and protected by cryptographic functions. It contains adminis trative insurance information and entitles patients to seek medical treatment. In turn, the patients give their doctors access to their personal medical data, which is stored either on the card or in the ehealth network. The card can also hold information such as elec tronic prescriptions. How to cut healthcare costs 1. Reduce fraud 2. Streamline administration 3. Improve communication 4...
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...Healthcare in Germany By Nabil Fakhoury Florida Atlantic University Into to Healthcare Systems (HSA 6103) Dr. Shehadeh Fall 2014 Table of contents Abstract2 Introduction2 Access and Coverage2 Expenditures and Finance3 Advantages4 Drawbacks5 Hospitals and physicians6 Conclusion7 Introduction The German healthcare system can be traced back to the 1883, when Prince Otto Von Bismark passed a health insurance bill into a law. The German healthcare model is still known as the “Bismark Model” today (Khazan, 2014). There are many differences between the healthcare systems in the United States and in Germany. The German healthcare system does have some drawbacks; however, its many advantages rank it as one of top countries for providing accessible and quality healthcare. Despite all the controversy surrounding the many changes that the German system has undergone, Germany is still able to spend a fraction of what the United States spends on healthcare while still providing 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 healthcare management over balancing the market competition (Gopffarth, 2012). Healthcare financing relies mostly on sick funds and government contributions. Germany is the only country in the European Union with a supplemental private health insurance (Riesberg & Worz...
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...S but spend a lot less money.” There were numerous innovations that impressed me from several different countries. The countries with innovations that stuck out the most were Germany, Japan, and Taiwan. Germany has a market based health system. They have universal health care that covers medical, dental, mental health and even homeopathy. Insurance companies cannot make a profit from insured customers. Therefore, the price for insurance is negotiated between the government and the Insurance provider. Like any other healthcare system there are good and bad parts to Germany’s system. Everyone is covered; the rich has an option to get private insurance. Germans pay premiums to cover insurance called “ICU funds” The over all German health system is one in which the rich pay for the poor. They have the same quality of health care but the co-pay is smaller than the U.S. They also have sickness funds, in which they negotiate with drug companies and medical doctors. The sickness funds cause for much cheaper medicine than in America. The negative side to the German healthcare system is that hospitals and doctors feel very much underpaid. Japans healthcare system includes universal coverage. One thing that caught my attention about this health system is that there are no primary physicians. I like that because sometimes when a person is having a specific problem, it is best to see that particular specialist. Nevertheless, there are probably some people that abuse this and will go to see...
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...United States vs. Foreign Nations: Funding & Reimbursing Healthcare Services United States vs. Foreign Nations: Funding & Reimbursing Healthcare Services In this document I will discuss the health care system of three foreign nations versus the United States. Specifically, focusing on how physicians and hospitals are reimbursed and funded in the United States as opposed to foreign nations. The three other foreign nations that will be involved in this discussion will be: Germany, Canada, and United Kingdom. Reimbursement/funding of health care services varies from nation to nation. Each of these countries inhabits a different point on the international healthcare continuum. In this critical analysis you will read about the different ways foreign countries and the United States reimburse hospitals and providers for health care services. The United States of America In America, we, as consumers, have the right to choose among various suppliers of healthcare services. We make a decision based upon the competing market and quality of goods and services. Then we pay for the cost of our services mainly through insurance or by paying for the full cost of the purchase ourselves. According to Bodenheimer and Grumbach, health care financing in the United States started off from out-of-pocket payments and evolved through individual private insurance, then employment-based insurance, and then finally government-based financing (i.e. Medicaid and Medicare) (2012, p. 187)...
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...Global Business Individual Project- Hannah Meaney X00103230 Students are required to write a 3,000 word essay which examines macro environmental factors from the perspective of an individual country of the student’s choosing. Introduction: The country that I have chosen to discuss for the purpose of this assignment is Germany. I have been to Germany before, their lifestyle and the way in which they operate their businesses on a day to day basis is highly intriguing to me. By choosing this country to research for this essay I will hopefully gain a deeper knowledge and insight into the differences between Germany and Ireland and the factors which make Germany so unique. In this essay I will look at and explain in detail the Macro Environmental factors and by using the P.E.S.T Analysis I will look at the Political, Economic, Socio Cultural and Technological factors of Germany. I will discuss what the change drivers are within the environment and what implications they have had on the country in terms of opportunities and threats that they may present to Businesses. Background: Germany is located in central Europe. Its’ largest city which also is the capital is named Berlin. It is home to over 80 million people, which makes it the most inhabited country in the European Union today. Germany is a major leader and extremely influential in terms of economics and politics within Europe. It is one of the most powerful leaders in many different ways and has lots to offer. Germany...
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...country. Taking an overview of areas such as culture, legal system, geography, political system, and history is just the beginning to this unique country. Through the research provided, it should be a useful indicator of whether or not Germany is a desirable place to pursue international business in. The national flag of Germany consists of three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red (middle), and gold (bottom). The colors of black, red, and gold have played an important role in German history and can be traced all the way back to medieval times where there was a banner of the Holy Roman Emperor. This original banner had a black eagle with red claws and beak on a gold field. The Holy Roman Empire was a German-majority, multi-ethnic empire in central Europe until 1806, when it was defeated at the Battle of Austerlitz. After this battle, German-states that were part of the Holy Roman Empire came under French rule and several German organizations began agitations to free Germany from foreign rule and create a unified country. Among these organizations were two prominent ones by the names of Lutzow Free Corps and Jena Student’s League. The members of these two organizations wore uniforms of black with gold and red accessories and used flags of those colors as well. When Germany was unified in 1871 under Otto Von Bismarck, it chose a national flag with horizontal stripes of black-white-red. However after Germany’s defeat in the First World War, a republic was declared in 1919...
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...countries to compare their health care system to the one we have here in the United States. He uses an arm injury that he suffered years ago to measure the quality of care that he would be receiving in each country, even though he has already gone to a physician one before to receive care. His intent is not only to compare and contrast the health care systems, but he also wanted to know how these health care systems came about and where and who these countries are researching after to better improve their health care systems. The author also wanted to use this experience to help shed light on major differences between the United States health care system compared to others as well as the reason behind it. With this goal in place, T.R. Reid was able to visit the following countries, France, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, and Canada, and discovered information that can shed light on what an health care system is and is not suppose to be. In the remainder of this paper I will cover the different health care systems in France, Germany, and Japan because those countries were most intriguing to me. I choose those three countries because I felt that those are very large countries and it would be interesting to see how the compare next to the health care system in the United States. Also, these countries are recognized worldwide and the information that we can learn from them can help us better our country in so many ways than one. France’s health care system is based on variation on the Bismarck...
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...German & U.S. Healthcare Systems: A Comparison German & U.S. Healthcare Systems: A Comparison Mention European health care to an American, and it probably conjures up a negative stereotype — high taxes, long waiting lines, rationed care. It's not that way in Germany. Very little tax money goes into the system. The lion's share comes, as in America, from premiums paid by workers and employers to insurance companies. German health benefits are very generous. And there's usually little or no wait to get elective surgery or diagnostic tests, such as MRIs. It's one of the world's best health care systems, visible in little ways that most Germans take for granted (Knox, 2008, para. 1). The country's heath care system dates to 1883 — only a dozen years after Otto von Bismarck melded a disparate collection of kingdoms and duchies into the German Empire. The "Iron Chancellor," as Bismarck was known, persuaded the country's parliament to enact a national system of health insurance based on the guilds' sickness funds (Knox, 2008, para. 7). The 1883 health insurance law did not address the relationship between sickness funds and doctors. The funds had full authority to determine which doctors became participating doctors and to set the rules and conditions under which they did so. These rules and conditions were laid down in individual contracts. Doctors, who had grown increasingly dissatisfied with these contracts and their limited access to the practice of medicine with...
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...The country that we researched to export Peanut Butter & Co peanut butter to is Germany. Germany is located in the Western and Central part of Europe. The Capital is Berlin that is also the largest city in the country. Other large cities in the country include Hamburg, Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt. Germany is part of the European Union, out of all the states that make up the European Union Germany is one of the most populous countries and has the largest economies. We chose to export peanut butter to Germany, because it is a rare item to find in the country. The German people are more familiar with a product called Nutella. Nutella is a creamy Chocolate hazelnut spread that is used on all food such as breads, fruits and more. Peanut Butter and Co offer a variety of product but one similar product to Nutella is their “Dark Chocolate Dream” peanut butter. Peanut Butter & Co could have an advantage over Nutella because recently the price of Nutella rose due to a shortage of hazelnuts. The Dark Chocolate Dream as well as the other peanut products they contains no cholesterol, no trans fats, no hydrogenated oils, and no high-fructose corn syrup. It is also gluten-free, certified vegan, and certified kosher. Since the Germans are all about eating healthy with no artificial additives this product will be a perfect fit in the country. The United States has to follow regulations and directives form the FDA. Germany also has to follow strict protocols in order to receive products from...
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...oppression and fear were parts of daily life. This essay will examine the GDR, determining ultimately whether it was, as its government suggested, a “workers and farmers state” or, as suggested by many theorists, a “second German dictatorship.” Jarausch (1999: 341) says that the SED “glorified the GDR as an egalitarian and open society on the path towards a communist utopia.” The SED used various techniques to mould the GDR into a functioning socialist state, where everyone had equal opportunities. By removing the significance of private property and making rent in the GDR notably lower than in the west, the SED were encouraging the previously exploited working classes to ascend through GDR society and improve their lives in the socialist system. The education...
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...Healthcare Utilization and Finance Western Governors University Student ID#000454545 January 30th, 2012 KOT1 734.3.4 Healthcare Utilization and finance Scenario 1 Part A: Discuss with Mrs. Zwick’s daughter which of Mrs. Zwick’s costs will be fully or partially covered by Medicare Part A, B, and D. Medicare part A covers inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospice care, and home health care. Medicare part A covers 80% of the 5 day inpatient hospital stay for your mother’s visit, assuming she does not have a supplemental insurance, she will be billed for the 20% portion of the hospital bill that Medicare does not cover. Her skilled nursing facility (SNF) stay will be covered by Medicare part A, however, she needs to pay a co-pay of $141.50 for day 21 of her stay as Medicare covers the first 100 days of SNF but the patient is responsible to pay a co-pay for days 21-100. Your mother should not be responsible for paying days 22-40 as the urinary tract infection your mother developed was a hospital acquired infection, also called a nosocomial infection and the Hospital will not be reimbursed by Medicare for the expense this preventable condition generated (Cherry & Jacob, 2008). Medicare part B covers medically necessary services and supplies (services like dialysis, health and wellness screenings, and cardiac rehab and supplies like oxygen, walkers, canes, and diabetic supplies ) as well...
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...Introduction [pic] Company Background LeanEco was founded in December 2007 by Klaus Moth. The founder has a background in both market and technology gained from his positions as research director for a global UPS supplier 2000-2007, following 10 years as VP, R&D in a global company offering high-reliability power electronics for launchers and satellites. LeanEco offers cost-effective, sustainable, 24/7 Mission Critical Power Solutions for server farms, datacenters and other business critical applications. LeanEco develops, manufactures and sells an innovative, all-in-one no -break power solution. Mission /Securing Business Uptime. Vision/ LeanEco the obvious choice. Problem Statement LeanEco wants to expand to other markets to establish a great business and to differentiate from the competitors. The two main markets in Europe for UPS are Germany and UK. They counted for 18% and 22% looking at the total European market. (source: Henrik Raunkjær, CEO). Is the German market Attractive to LeanEco? Limitation The Leaneco is interesting firm, but getting the access information is not easy to find. During the presentation the Ceo Henrik Raunkjær only give brief information & the lecture is so quick that can’t even enough to write down (taking notes). Leaneco website is not enough information to support this project. Porters Diamond of National Advantage (Denmark) 1. Factor Conditions The basic factors that the Denmark is no. 6 in the infrastructure...
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