Financing Health Care: Structural Challenges in Germany

In this article, Michael Schlander presents arguments why and how a realignment of the dual system of statutory and private health insurance towards a complementary system consisting of mandatory basic insurance and voluntarily insured supplementary benefits should be considered as part of necessary health care reforms in Germany.

The German health care system has grown into a size and level of complexity that impair its transparency and efficiency, combined with high costs and mediocre overall outcomes. At the same time, it relies on economic foundations that are threatened by the poor development of the overall economy. Without economic growth, however, German health care policy-makers will face difficult rationing decisions in the foreseeable future. As part of a necessary reform agenda, a realignment of the dual system of statutory and private health insurance towards a complementary system consisting of mandatory basic insurance and voluntarily insured supplementary benefits should be considered.

This article will be available soon under Publications.