Global Cardiovascular Strategies

Dr.oec.HSG Hans-Olaf Wiesemann,
DKV (Deutsche Krankenversicherung) AG
Abt. Unternehmensplanung und Controlling, DKV AG
HEALTH CARE FINANCING:
MODELS OF PRIVATE AND ADDITIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE IN WESTERN EUROPE

 

II. Overview on Health Insurance Systems

II.1 Basic and Additional Health Insurance, Statutory and Private Health Insurance

The three different health insurance systems are described by the following three boxes:

Graph 1

Click here to enlarge picture

In Germany, most people (with a lower or medium income) are insured in the “Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung”, a basic statutory health insurance supplied by non-profit and non-private contributory sickness funds. Its customers, these not so wealthy people can buy in addition additional health insurance from private health insurance companies.

People earning more money are eligible to go into private health insurance and have the choice to be insured in “Private Krankheits-kostenvollversicherung”, a form of comprehensive health insurance, provided by private health insurance companies (in this field of private health insurance, there are many different products with different levels of health care).

In the Netherlands, we find the “cappucino” model of health insurance: On the bottom (the coffee) is a basic health insurance coverage, called “AWBZ”. The next layer (the froth of milk) is an add-on health insurance coverage called “ZFW” for people with lower or medium income provided by non-private contributory sickness funds. People with higher income can be insured by private companies in “Particuliere Verzekering”. On the top (the chocolate) of the health insurance is the additional health insurance system for more or less luxury needs: the “Aanvullende Verzekering”.

In Switzerland, the health insurance system is much easier to understand. There are just two layers: the basic insurance called “Grundversicherung” provided by contributory sickness funds and a supplementary private health insurance for additional needs, the “Zusatzversicherung”.