| Historically, American health care has been a relatively | | | | the social legislation of former chancellor Otto von |
| insular industry. Insurers, doctors, and politicians alike are | | | | Bismarck. Depending on their income levels, individuals |
| loathe to look at international examples as a possible | | | | pay sliding premiums and co-payments. |
| model. Instead, they focus solely on the negative | | | | Others in Germany, who desire more generous |
| aspects of Canadian, British, and other systems of | | | | coverage, purchase private health insurance plans. |
| socialized health care. The main exception has been | | | | These are similar to the Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in |
| the idealization of communist Cuba's program by | | | | the United States, meaning that they are nonprofits. |
| people such as Sean Penn and Michael Moore, which | | | | This group makes up about one-fourth of the insured |
| even Fidel Castro himself now admits does not work. | | | | population. Employers and employees share the cost |
| However, there is nevertheless some inspiration we | | | | of that coverage, which is above and beyond the |
| can take from foreign health care systems. Granted, it | | | | mandatory insurance. |
| would require its own unique American spin. Still, a | | | | Germany still has problems with rising costs, although |
| group from the University of Minnesota is traveling to | | | | health care expenses are still a lower percentage of |
| Germany to test that hypothesis. Germans are best | | | | their GDP than they are in the United States. It remains |
| known for having a hybrid system. Unlike many other | | | | to be seen if the group of 16 health care experts |
| western European nations, private health plans still exist | | | | (including an insurance company CEO, the state |
| in Germany. | | | | insurance commissioner, and several state senators) |
| Most Germans have universal health care by statute. | | | | will take anything from their experience in Berlin later |
| The government-provided coverage (similar to the | | | | this month. Some speculate that the German system |
| "public option" touted--and rejected--during the most | | | | can be likened to the health insurance exchange |
| recent healthcare reform debate in America) provides | | | | markets states must launch as a result of healthcare |
| basic health services. This has been true ever since | | | | reform. |
| 1883, when the Health Insurance Bill that was part of | | | | |