Problematic Healthcare Insurance: a Comparison with Successful Models

This article analyzes the experiences of problematic health insurance models in Canada, France, Germany, and Spain, based on news reports, facts, and data. Those nations were selected because they represent typical socialist economies with nationalized health insurance systems. Major findings are that (a) these health insurance systems are not cheap, (b) they sometimes contribute to governments' own financial deficits, (c) there are significant restrictions for access to private health care, (d) many services are not covered, and (e) the insurance plans create conflict as to what treatment options are offered. The author also provides a description of the current U.S. health care insurance model and compares it with the European socialist model. What comes subsequently is an examination of two ideal models of efficient health care insurance: the ones of Switzerland and the Netherlands. This analysis ends with a discussion section that provides implications for U.S. health care and offers suggestions for future research.