Here is my previous review of the German healthcare system. Below is the some additional information on medical care in France based on the book by William Roth.
Funding and Insurance
- An individual joins a sickness funds to receive medical coverage. The sickness funds cover 90% of the population and the remaining 10% uses private insurance.
- Employers and employees split the sickness fund premiums. Employee payroll deductions for sickness fund premiums typically range between 9%-17% of income.
- Those over 65 years old and the unemployed have the entire cost of the sickness fund paid for by the government.
- The sickness fund sets the charges for each procedure.
Physicians
- Physician are paid on a fee-for-service basis.
- Members of sickness funds can go to any physician they wish.
- The government limits the number of providers in each field.
- Competitive exams are taken to see who is accepted into healthcare training and who gets to specialize. Medical education, however, is free.
- GP students serve a residency followed by an apprenticeship with a licensed GP.
- Physician ratio – 1:1170
HIT
- Germany spends 8.6% of its annual healthcare budget on technological innovations.
- The country is currently developing an electronic health cared to allow them to access the information on their electronic health record.
Source: Roth, WF (2010) Comprehensive Healthcare for the U.S.: An Idealized Model. Productivity Press, 174 pages.
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