What Germany’s Coal Miners Can Teach America About Medical Debt

From Noam N. Levey / KFF Health News: Germany, like the U.S., has a largely private healthcare system that relies on private doctors and private insurers. Like Americans, many Germans enroll in a health plan through work, splitting the cost with their employer. But Germany strictly limits how much patients have to pay out of their own pockets for a trip to the doctor, the hospital, or the pharmacy, making medical debt practically nonexistent.

Read the original story here.

Read more articles on healthcare systems related to wellbeing.

Issue Areas:

Employee Wellbeing, Medical Debt

Impact Areas:

Equity, Health and Wellness

Actors:

Government, Healthcare Organizations

Communities Served:

Workers

Strategies:

Easing Economic Burdens for Individuals

Success Factors:

Eliminating Barriers, Expanding Access, Help Rather Than Punishment, Meeting People Where They Are At, Overcoming the Big Challenges

Geographic Region:

Europe

Countries:

Germany

Date:

December 14, 2022

More Resources:

4-Day Workweek Boosted Workers’ Productivity By 40%, Microsoft Japan Says

From Bill Chappell / NPR: Microsoft Japan experimented with a 4-day work week over the summer. Employees enjoyed three-day weekends but received normal paychecks. The company reported a 40% boost in productivity. Read the original story here. Read more work-focused...

Conversation with Rosalinda Natividad

Rosalinda Natividad is the Founder and CEO of Incite Network, which empowers change-makers along the U.S.-Mexico border by securing grant funding and supporting strategic planning for equitable community impact. She leads efforts to amplify the work of underfunded organizations, driving...

This is what one of the world’s largest experiments in basic income looks like

From Meaghan Tobin and Márvio Dos Anjos / Rest of World: Mumbuca is a digital currency used in Maricà’s basic income program. Residents, with few eligibility requirements, can qualify for a monthly stipend to purchase goods and services using a...

Conversation with Kari Wolanksi

Kari Wolinsky is the acting director of the Center for Social Data Insights and Innovation at Statistics Canada. She previously worked at the Department of Finance designing Canada’s Quality of Life framework. Kari Wolanksi spoke with Ashley Hopkinson on March...

Portland Youth Exercise Power through Participatory Budgeting

From Rebecca Jacobson / Reed Magazine: Through Youth Voice Youth Vote, nearly 800 young people in Portland took part in a participatory budgeting process to decide how to spend $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding. The winning projects, including...

Conversation with Kay Watson

Kay Watson is a researcher, producer, and curator working with art and advanced technologies, photography, and video games. She is currently Head of Arts Technologies at Serpentine where she leads the art and technology programme. She is a Trustee of...