To make this simple....Germany's healthcare cost came up to around $500 billion Euro in 2024....mostly due to inflation, energy costs (blame the Ukraine-Russia war), and an aging population (20-percent over age 65, projected to 25-percent by 2035).
So they face a multi-billion-euro shortfalls. This naturally should lead to contribution rate hikes (up 0.6-percent in 2025 to a over-all 15.5-percent on average).
The blunt side? German patients face indirect costs....either getting longer waits or reduced services. Most Germans believe cuts are the only path ahead.
Added burden? Well....most say that a projected 500,000 healthcare worker gap by 2035 is going to exit.
Throughout the country....there's somewhere around 50,000 doctors short now. Added to this....roughly one out of three doctors would like to quit/retire early.
The coalition (CDU-CSU-SPD) trying to find a path to sell the public? Mostly in failure mode.
2 comments:
That is why it's vitally important to maintain your health. At 71, I figure I have 15 good years left. I play a lot of Golf and exercise daily. My doctor says I am more fit than most 40 year olds. But, what does he know. I go for a check up once a year and I have to make an appointment 6 months ahead.
I think everyone ought to have a come-to-Jesus health-moment....once around age 40 (to clear up some bad habits....get more Vit-D....drink less....walk/hike more)....once again around age 60 (eat less...dissolve stress...more walks). The blunt truth is that the health system isn't designed to handle the numbers or 'load'....either in the US or Germany.
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