As an American I’m curious what it’s like if you need to go to the doctor and how much you pay from say a broken arm to general checkup. Also list what country please
As an American I’m curious what it’s like if you need to go to the doctor and how much you pay from say a broken arm to general checkup. Also list what country please
No, it’s not all paid by our taxes, we literally have to pay insurance which is co-paid by our employer. The healthcare is universal because it’s mandatory to have insurance. If you’re unemployed you have to pay the full insurance yourself which is mind-boggling to me. The system is more similar to the US than true universal healthcare, because healthcare actors are private companies, doctors, and clinics getting reimbursed by insurances and the government.
What in Germany is called Steuer is not the same as taxes. Taxes are just the sum of your mandatory contributions from your gross income, including contributions for health care, pensions, public broadcasting, etc. Steuer is a part of your taxes.
The cost of “full insurance” is something like €500-1000, no one on Bürgergeld and few on Arbeitslosengeld are going to be able to afford that. Though you’re right that it doesn’t make any sense to have health care coverage tied to your employer when the insurance is mandatory for everyone anyway - that’s a bureaucratic relic from the past.
Health insurers for mandatory insurance in Germany are not private companies but semipublic nonprofits.
True. I was too lazy to differentiate it and check what “Sozialabgaben” is in English.