THE REALITY OF UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE IN GERMANY vs. American Private Healthcare

Although I love sharing our life in the Black Forest with you on YouTube, there has been a part of my life that I have chosen to keep off of social media...until today. I have really hesitated to talk about my health and medical history because healthcare is a topic that is highly politicized and extremely complicated in the United States. We don’t really get to hear an unbiased, honest and critical account of #UniversalHealthcare, like what we have in Germany, versus #privatehealthcare that is standard in America. But because I have had paid for health insurance, multiple surgeries and sought out care from specialists in both the United States and Germany, I feel like I can share a unique, first person perspective on the topic of #healthcare. From the cost of health insurance to surgeries, doctors visits to prescription medication, I'm going to lay it all out.

Here is the whole story, my story.

Suggested Reading on Universal Healthcare:

The reading above shows how all the other industrialized democracies (including the German gesetzliche Krankenversicherung - GKV) have achieved something the United States can't seem to do: provide health care for everybody at an affordable cost.

GEAR IN THIS VIDEO:

DISCLOSURE: The links above may contain affiliate links. This means that, at no cost to you, the Black Forest Family may earn a commission if you click through to make a purchase.

👉Quick Jump to Your Favorite Topic:

00:00 Intro
00:38 My Perspective on Healthcare
06:11 My Medial History, Cost of Medication & Progression of Illness
10:58 How Much I Paid for Health Insurance in the United States
16:58 More Surgeries: Private Healthcare & Public Healthcare in Germany
25:19 The Cost of Healthcare in Germany
29:08 Is German Public Healthcare CHEAPER than U.S Private Healthcare?
33:54 Clearing up Common Misconceptions
41:32 My Final Question for You
42:30 Outro

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Episode 21 | #lifeingermany and #germanhealthcare in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany | Filmed October 16, 2021

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🛵 Our 101 TOP TRAVEL TIPS:

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Originally from the Midwest of the USA, we moved to the #blackforest in 2013 and quickly embraced #expatlife. As American expats living in #Germany, things weren't always easy, but we've grown to love our life in Germany. We started this #travelvlog​ to share our experiences with friends and family, and to help those who are interested in moving overseas! Whether you are interested in moving abroad, working abroad, studying abroad, raising a family abroad, or just want to #traveleurope, we're here to give you a first person look at what lies ahead. 😊🎥🌎

[AliZee]

I came to Germany as a student after taking some time off my career to care for a sick family member in my home country. To cut a long story short, the care basically wiped out any savings that we had. During my first week in Germany I got into an accident (got hit by a bus whose breaks stopped working). I was in a lot of pain but I didn't want the ambulance to be called because I didn't want to pay an expensive bill basically. But someone called the ambulance nonetheless. I also did not happen to have my insurance card on me that day. I got to the hospital and told them I don't have my insurance card on me. They shrugged it off and said everyone has a right to care and I should get treated now and bring my card to them later. After half a day of medical care, various X-rays, tests, and an ambulance ride I got a bill in the mail a month later for 10 euros. That day I realise Germany has a humanity-based medical system and I love it.

Now I work full-time and gladly pay the various taxes and insurance even if I may not be using all the services they afford because I know these systems benefit us all as a country and society. Which is priceless in my opinion.

[timoreiswolf]

Being a healthy guy with good income in germany, I pay much more then I receive. But that's totally cool, because I can rest assured I will get the healthcare I need, if need arises. Plus, I support people who aren't as lucky and capable as I am.

[scruffy]

I am from germany, born and raised. The biggest part about our system people dont think of is: peace of mind.
You don't worry about what if a emergency happens.

[elizabethaltschull]

Oringinally American, living in France. Similar to the German health care system with differences that are not relevent to my take on it here.
For years, my husband who earned well, payed his public insurance fees covering our children (not me, as in Germany, I worked so I payed my share as well) and always said: "I don't mind paying more than I cost if I am lucky enough to be healthy". Then at 58, he contracted cancer. For his family going through the pain of loss and who were losing their main bread winner: we didn't have to worry about ANY medical costs. No extras to pay to get a special bed, a walker, a nurse to come by the home - everything payed for. Not only that, it turned out that our health insurance was also a life insurance: we received a lump sum of money when he died that helped us reajust to our new life. I could sit down and try to figure out if what we payed before, and what I will pay until the day I die, what my children will pay and so on, "comes out even" - but actually, that's not really the spirit of the system.
So to answer your closing question: without a shadow of a doubt, I believe in the PRINCIPLE OF SOLIDARITY: everyone contributes according to their means, receives according to their needs and if you end up giving more than you receive, it means you were blessed with good health and were able to help others.

[Reckless-mindfulness]

I came to Germany in 2012 and got diagnosed with Lyphoma in 2019. I had a public health insurance and apart from transport charges (sometimes) I did not pay a penny. I estimated the cost to be more then a million euros with cancer chemo/radiation therapies and my 212 days of hospital stays. taxi charges all taken care off. I spent a few thousand euros on things that I did not normally had to to but that hardly counts. I think German health insurance is a blessing. FYI it was Tcell Lyphoma, quite aggressive and I am cancer free since 2 years now.

[walther]

Here is my experience with our (Germany) healthcare system.
When I was 18 I had a motorcycle accident. A semi truck didnt see me and hit me with around 80kmh. The results of the crash were:
- broken neck
- broken shoulder
- multiple fractures on both arms
- shattered hands
- 5 broken rips
- broken pelvis/hip
- shattered leg
- a torn liver

I got 7 surgery's in total, including the emergency surgery at the day of the accident. What they did in these surgery's:
- fixing my tron liver
- reinforcing my neck with titanium screws and plates
- reinforcing my shoulder with titanium plates
- reconstruction of both of my hands, also with a lot of titanium
- reinforcing my leg, also with a lot titanium
- artificial hip joint

After almost 3 months in hospital, i went for physiotherapy for almost 9 months.
(I couldn't walk or anything else after i left the hospital. Not only because of the damage, but also because i hadn't any muscles left.)

1 year after the accident, it was clear that i couldn't work any longer in my job that i learned and so i got a retraining (3 years) from my insurance company for a new one.

The total amount of costs of all this, from the minute the ambulance arrived until i got the last letter 4 years after the accident, was around 780.000€.

Conclusion: If that had happened to me in the US, I would either be in debt for the rest of my life or a cripple.




Edit: Oh, and i'm completely fine. Besides some fancy scars and slightly restricted fine motor skills, everything turned well for me.

[das_murks]

What people always forget: In Germany, you don't have to take a day off to visit a doctor. And if you get ill during a vacation and a doctor writes you off, you'll get the lost days of vacation back to use them again. During your time off no company can fire you for being ill.

[lizmagno]

I am an older American living in Germany. I have private insurance at the lowest level (basis tariff) I developed Cancer here, received excellent care and have been Cancer free for 4 1/2 years so far. I have discussed health care with many people when I return to the US for visits and the general response is "I'm not going to pay more in taxes just so someone else (an undeserving person is implied) can get free healthcare, Let them get a job!". Overcoming this attitude is what keeps the US public from doing a deep dive into the facts that you have so well presented. This is one of those " third rails" of politics and no politician is brave enough to address it..

[jimchik]

I’m an American, living in Germany for about 11 years. In 2017 I had a hip replaced. Long story short, ; 11 days in the hospital, 3 weeks at sleep-away rehab, 6 months of thrice weekly rehab visits (public transportation was paid for!). A great titanium and ceramic device installed where there was a only bone… total out of pocket expense was about €110, not including the €1000 or so given to me to cover expenses during the month + of not working.

Keep in mind that I had only been living here for about 7 years at the time of the surgery. That is the beauty of a system that takes care of people, over profit margins. Health insurance is mandated by law. I couldn’t be more grateful.

[toluwanioluwatola]

I am a health policy analyst and I must confess this is one of the most researched vlogs I've seen on comparing the cost of Healthcare in two countries. This is so brilliant

[joeboxer]

My husband and I moved to Germany not at all for the healthcare benefits but more to start a new life. I have to say that we will never move back to the US solely because of the healthcare benefits. Since moving here my husband has been diagnosed as diabetic and had a stroke. With all his meds, days in the hospital, regular checkups, and actual food therapy vacation (teaching him how to live with diabetes) and much more ALL WITHOUT EVER SEEING A SINGLE MEDICAL BILL has complete changed our views on life.

[catwiesel_]

As a German, living here, paying into the very insurance that is helping you get the miracle drug for free, from the bottom of my heart, I approve.

[DDan]

Great Analysis - My experience as an American in Germany (my wife is German) ... many years ago my oldest daughter had an Asthma attack and we rushed her to the closest Doctor. They immediately cleared the office and called for an Ambulance and rushed her to the nearest Hospital and she almost died. I had public health insurance and after all this was over, we were able to get Germany's Top Asthma Expert in this area (by Munich or München) as her Doctor. We had to have breathing machines, etc... and other things not to mention pills. Through this entire ordeal, I had to pay 0 €'s, yes, absolutely nothing because under this healthcare, children under 18 years old are COMPLETELY FREE. This is an area that you didn't cover in this discussion because you speak of "Family Coverage" but fail to mention that Children are free in Germany. I waited for a bill that never came and as the sole provider, I was ecstatic! Now 30+ years and 8 kids later (most adults now) this was my experience. And to be fair, we also lived in the US for 9 years and had 3 kids, but after making it through Hurricane Rita and Ike, she demanded to go back to Germany where there were no hurricanes. I lived the Family Healthcare life in both US / Germany and I would absolutely pick Germany's System over the US's any day of the week. Imagine you are sick in the US, you lose money if you don't work, etc... but in Germany, if you do not feel good you go to the Dr. and get a slip and the Dr says when you will be back to work - this is paid by the Healthcare. To bring this home, basically if I had a bad cold, I may spend 3 days at home with medicine and I am still paid for these days because the German's want healthy people at work - not people getting the rest of the workforce sick because they have to put food on the table. Sorry for the length, but this is my 0, 02 €

[fulanichild]

I was traveling in Burma when I came down with a urinary tract infection. Walked into a Burmese hospital and walked out with a free bottle of antibiotics. A few days later, in Thailand, I developed an allergic reaction to the antibiotics. I walked into a Thai hospital and walked out with a different medication for about $5. I'm an American and can get free or nearly free healthcare in other countries! I used to work in a study abroad program at an American university. Several of my students received free medical care while abroad, including hospitalization in a couple of cases. That the wealthiest country on earth cannot do this is not incompetence. It is corruption.

[philipp]

It is really hard for me as an European (Austrian) to talk about this topic to Americans without fearing to get to offensive. It blows my mind, that this topic is so controversal in the states. It is nearly imposible for me to belive, that there are so many people there, who defend the lack of something like universal helthcare seriously.
For me this is one of the main controdictions to call a society "civilized" (beside the ban of a death penalty by the way).
See...I am getting offensive again, I appologize. But I think this is just because we share so many other values and are so near in all the other topics. So it's like beeing really disapointed by a family member. It's kind of deniing the dignity of people and be proud of it to me.

[nriamond]

I'm German, 39 and never ever sick (I can literally count on one hand how often I've been sick in the last 30 years). So I've been paying enormous amounts of money for nothing ... but I'm doing it happily knowing that a) I won't have to worry IF some day, I have an accident or get chronically ill (not to forget that one day, I'll be old and most people need some medical care at that point) and b) I'm supporting people who are less lucky than me. Because in many cases, health is mostly a matter of pure luck (of course, a healthy lifestyle does help but there are so many diseases that are not prevented by this) and I really like to help bring a little bit of fairness in a world that is very unfair overall.

[christof]

The difference between german healthcare and us healthcare is one is based in solidarity, the other in charity. If you need a gofundme to cover your medical costs, then there is something seriously wrong.

[CassieLopez]

As an American living in Germany with a severely-disabled child, I'm a HUGE fan of the German health-care system. Good job with this video!

[pg]

As a german MD i couldn´t work in the USA. The idea i can´t treat patients because they are poor is outrageous. I work to help people, not to check their bank accounts and then decide wether i help them or let them die.

[mikewassef]

Thank you so much for sharing your personal story and for this very thorough video. As a physician in the US, I can say that one of the biggest problems for healthcare in America are cultural and political influences. We’re inherently untrusting of our government and are so individualistic, arrogant, and ignorant of the overall social benefits that a Universal healthcare system can bring. I’ve seen too many patients skip on their insulin, CT scan or flood the ERs because they couldn’t afford primary care or prescription drugs. If all of these were available, there will still be some non-compliant patients and people who abuse the system. Overall though, there’d be less waste, better negotiating with pharmaceutical companies and medical manufacturers as well as better health outcomes. In times, this may actually decrease healthcare costs, boost worker productivity, and remove a huge burden on small businesses who have to incur the cost of providing private healthcare making them a lot less competitive with the bigger firms. It will be an overall a huge net positive for the country, except for the insurance firms listed on Wall Street, of course, and their CEOs who contribute generously to politicians on both sides of the aisle