German Healthcare: A model for others?

IEA Podcast - A podcast by Institute of Economic Affairs

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As the UK government asks the nation to "Stay Home. Protect the NHS" and people are heading onto the streets for weekly claps to support healthcare workers, attention has never been more focused on the NHS. At the same time, countries across the world are all tackling the same health crisis, with a range of different results. One country which seems to be performing well is Germany, with extensive testing and a low coronavirus mortality rate. So how do they do it? What is it about the German healthcare system, with its higher spending and social insurance model, which makes it particularly good in a crisis? And what can the UK learn from how their decentralised system offers more choice for patients and medical professionals. Joining Emma Revell, Head of Communications, to discuss the German model is Dr Kristian Niemietz, Head of Political Economy and author of several reports on health systems including Universal Healthcare without the NHS.