Comparing Healthcare Systems: US and Germany Healthcare Systems

Running Head: COMPARING HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS 1
Comparing Healthcare Systems: US and Germany Healthcare Systems
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COMPARING HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS 2
Comparing Healthcare Systems: US and Germany Healthcare Systems
Introduction
Nurses, as patients' advocates, have a duty of working with patients and their families in
their quest for optimal healthcare provision. As such, they have an obligation of understanding
how different healthcare systems across the globe work in a bid to maximize the potential of
healthcare resources that meet their health care needs (Thomson, Osborn, Squires, & Reed,
2011). Different country's health care issues such as healthcare financing, healthcare policies and
initiatives, equitable access and coverage of health care by different groups of the population are
critical to this end. This paper will seek to compare the health care systems of the US and
Germany with regard to the foregoing healthcare concerns.
Access by Children, Unemployed and Retired People
In the U.S. children access health care through their parents Medicaid insurance policies
as well as through the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) [The Commonwealth Fund,
2018a]. Children can also access health care through private health insurance schemes of their
parents. Unemployed people who constitute a big proportion of the US uninsured people access
health care through the federal government’s funding of community health centers which
basically offer primary care. Retired people who are mostly senior citizens access healthcare
through Medicare programs [The Commonwealth Fund, 2018b].
In Germany, children are able to access health care through their parents’ health
insurance schemes which can either be private health insurance or government health scheme;
German health insurance. Dependents including a non-working spouse and children and retired
people are included on the employed person’s address as long as they are registered with the
government’s long-term nursing care scheme making them able to access healthcare at no extra

COMPARING HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS 3
charges on the same [Expatica, 2018]. Retired people can also access health care through their
own private health insurance with the government regulating the same to prevent exploitation
through premium increases as they age. Unemployed people make their contribution to statutory
health insurance with regard to their unemployment entitlements with those unemployed for a
long period being contributed for by the government [The Commonwealth Fund, 2018a].
Medication Coverage
The US Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires private health insurance including small-
group market to cover critical health services such as emergency services, mental health services,
prescription drugs, drug abuse, and mother and child care services (Singh, 2015). Medicare
covers hospitalization for post-acute illnesses, prescription drugs and physician services with the
program removing cost-sharing for most preventive services. While Medicare does not cover
long-term care, Medicaid covers it besides offering a broader range of health care services such
as physician services, hospitalization and other services that differ by state. Cost-sharing and out-
of-pocket payments are sometimes required depending on insurance policies took but the ACA
allow cost-sharing subsidies for people living below the federal poverty level to allow universal
coverage. By and large, individuals can be covered by either or both public and private health
insurance fashioned in different ways to cater to different healthcare needs (Squires, & Anderson,
2015).
In Germany, German health insurance covers health care services at primary care level
including in- and out-patient services, dental services, rehabilitation, physical therapy,
prescription drugs, mental health care, and hospice and palliative care. Preventive services
covered under the same include basic immunization, dental checkups, cancer screening, and
child checkups [The Commonwealth Fund, 2018a]. Private health insurance however covers a