5 Countries With Unbelievable Health Insurance

Health insurance brings people access to medical care, especially those who would otherwise not be able to afford it . Although there are many other ways to ensure medical coverage for a society, the most common one is by having a risk pool, which means that money is collected from every citizen in affordable amounts and used to subsidize the less healthy part of the society.

There are two methods in which governments finance the coverage of medical care for all its citizens. One is by tax-funding; in this case the government uses tax revenue to finance health care entitling every citizen to medical services. The other case is by social health insurance, in which all parts: employees, self-employees, companies and the government contribute according to their ability to pay and guarantee that everyone can have medical care coverage.

The success of these systems depends on the performance, control and regulations that guarantee equality, affordable service and efficiency.

A good health insurance in countries can avoid deaths, disabilities, debt entrapment and assure everyone’s basic right to health and life. The World Health Organization classified the following countries as the ones with the best health insurance:

1. France

Health care is provided to everyone regardless of any type of discrimination. Normally, people receive their insurance through their employment. The coverage is funded by both, the private and public sector.

French citizens have the right to choose their doctors and services. Doctors, on the other hand, have the right to choose the medical procedures.

France’s medical system is so well designed that no one is uninsured in France and health expenses do not cause anyone’s impoverishment. In fact, there are no deductibles and the most ailing patients are exempt from their co-payments. The French enjoy a great healthcare system where medication and treatments are accessible to all patients, for example patients with cancer, mental illness and diabetes are covered 100%. These patients can be treated with the most expensive and innovative treatments. Mothers have months of paid job leave, subsidized day care, and child allowance.

2. Italy

Healthcare is provided to all citizens and residents. It is funded by the public national health service and private sector.

Prescribed drugs are free for the poor, hospitalizations and surgeries are free of charge for everyone, although the waiting can be long, especially for the big cities. Private service is also available and fully paid by the patient. This option is expensive, but it’s a way to avoid the long queues.

3. San Marino

Most people acquire health insurance through their employers. Self-employed citizens pay their own coverage. Vulnerable citizens such as the disabled, unemployed, retirees, war veterans, diabetics, etc. do not have to pay, they receive medical attention funded by the state. Health insurance is a requirement for foreigners in order to obtain residency in the country. The government subsidizes hospitalizations, pregnancy and childbirth, rehabilitation and specialists. Private health care is also available but can be very expensive.

An assigned doctor is available in each neighborhood. ThiThere is discrimination between the privately insured patients and the state insured ones, regarding hospital rooms and commodities. Emergency care is at no cost and available for everyone whether insured or not.

4. Andorra

Its health care system is financed by the government through employees’ and employer’s contribution and the private sector. Health care is provided either by public hospitals or private doctors. The Andorran health care system not only counts with its own centers and facilities but also with the ones of their nearby countries.

5. Malta

Health care in Malta relies on taxation through employees and employers. Most medical services are covered by the state including hospitalization, specialists, pregnancy and childbirth, and rehabilitation. Prescribed medicine is paid by the patient unless they are part of a vulnerable group of the society.

This article was written by Brian Levesque. Brian has been a strong proponent of health care reform in the United States and has looked to other successful health insurance models across the globe. He is also a professional writer for Insurance Land. To read more of Brian’s work, feel free to view his Google+.

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