Do you feel disappointed in your healthcare system? You may have asked yourself: What is the best health care system in the entire world? It’s hard to answer this question before hand because you need to take into account so many factors. If a plan appears perfect, then it likely has some downsides. We have therefore tried to assess harshly to find you the best healthcare system.
What is the best healthcare system in the world?
What is a healthcare system?
By definition, a healthcare system is the way in which health services are organized, financed and provided to a particular population. This can cover a wide range of issues, including access, costs, and resources.
The term healthcare outcomes is used to describe the health improvements that result from specific investments or measures. Results can include compliance mortality, readmissions, and patient experiences. The Healthcare Access and Quality Index ranks countries.
What is the ranking of health care systems?
Healthcare Access & Quality Index
The Healthcare Access & Quality Index (HAQ) ranks the healthcare outcomes of each country on a scale from 0 to 100. The best score is 100. Scores ranging between 90 and 96.1 are assigned to countries with the best healthcare systems. The Netherlands currently holds the highest score, 96.1. We can therefore say that the Netherlands has the best healthcare system on the planet.
Annual Euro Health Consumer Index
The Netherlands maintained the top spot in the annual Euro Health Consumer Index. This Index compares the healthcare systems of Europe. The Netherlands scored 916 points out of 1,000 possible. Netherland was the only country to consistently rank in the top three in each Euro health consumer index since 2005.
The Netherlands have been able, in terms of 48 indicators, such as information, prevention, outcomes, patient rights, accessibility and many more, to remain at the top of the list of 37 countries across Europe. The Netherlands has been able to close the gap for five years in a row. The Netherlands was also the top-ranked country in a comparison study of Australia, Canada and the United States.
The Netherlands and its ranking system
Reforming health care systems
Since 2006, when the Dutch health care system underwent a major reform, it has received an increasing number of index points. The Health Consumer Powerhouse states that the Netherlands is a country with a “chaos” system. This means their patients are more free to choose where to purchase their insurance or where to receive their healthcare. The Netherlands has a “chaos system” that is managed correctly. This makes them different from other countries. The Netherlands is a country that has a very effective dialogue between healthcare professionals and patients.
The Review of 2010
In 2009, a comparison of all consumer experiences revealed wildly different results. In 2010, an evaluation concluded that it was still too early to determine whether the reform had improved efficiency and quality.
Research in the Year 2007
The results of a survey conducted in 2007 of adults’ experiences with health care in the Netherlands, Germany, five English-speaking nations, and the Netherlands were published by all of the prestigious and important journals on health policy. The Dutch public’s positive and desired views of the high-performing healthcare system were revealed by this survey.
Around 59 percent of the Dutch adults surveyed said they felt very confident about receiving high-quality, safe healthcare. This is a staggering result, considering that only 35 percent of Americans adults are Dutch.
Dutch Health Insurance
Is this the best health insurance policy in the world?
All people who live or work in the Netherlands must have health insurance. All ex-pats who are from outside the EEA or E.U. and Swiss nationals, but come to the Netherlands, must have Dutch health insurance. This is within less than four month of getting their residence permit. They can still get their foreign health insurance even if they have it. All Dutch workers must have Dutch health insurance.
International Students & Health Insurance
It is not mandatory for all international students to have Dutch health Insurance. The students’ ability to obtain it will be determined by a number of factors. Such as the duration of their stay. Another aspect is whether they are working properly or as interns. The most important factor is whether they have health insurance or not in their home country. All of these factors will determine whether or not they need health insurance.
Students from abroad: Health Insurance Options
This is for foreign students, especially those who are only temporarily in the Netherlands. They have three main options for health insurance and policies:
- Dutch Health Insurance
- E.U. If you are an EU citizen, health insurance is mandatory.
- You must have private health insurance in your country of origin or home.
Compare the healthcare systems of the United States and Netherlands
Financial comparison
Numbers
- The average annual cost/price of a U.S. family plan for four people is about $16,530, or 2.4 times higher than the Dutch basic family plan which costs only $6,913.
- The Dutch basic plan is a comprehensive package of benefits that everyone buys; the U.S. program is a composite of several programs with varying non-standard coverage.
- Dutch basic plans have a deductible of $600 plus the own-risk of $495. This is $1,095 as opposed to the deductibles of family plans in the U.S. which range from $1,000 to over $4,000, too.
- Standard coverage for Dutch basic plans is 100%. In the U.S., most plans require cost sharing or co-insurance to reach 100 percent coverage.
Employees
- Dutch basic family plans also include an employee contribution of approximately $1,768. This is the starting point for 9.35 percent maximum wage taxation. It’s calculated on about fifty percent of an employee’s annual starting plan payment that was paid by the employer or organization.
- The employer and employee share a 7.2% wage tax up to a limit of $45,000. This payment goes into the equalization funds used to compensate insurance companies for high-risk buyers. This linkage helps to subsidise people with low incomes and those in need with little or no earnings.
Functional Comparison
Regulative
- Six insurance companies provide around 90 percent for the primary insurance plans of approximately 16.5 million Dutch people. The service offers a risk pool that is very well balanced in terms of age, income and health group. The Dutch competition system is regulated to ensure that premiums are affordable by providing a basic package that includes comprehensive benefits for all citizens. Competition regulators will be looking for any violations of strong market positions, cartels or other similar matters. Insurance regulators make sure that all essential policies or plans have the same coverage provisions.
Savings
- The facts above allow for a clearer assessment of health care costs, benefits, premiums, and quality by the government. They also provide a comparison between the best and worst practices. Its success will depend on how well the government enforces the rules covering costs, benefits, premiums and quality.
Systematic
- In terms of their basic health plan, the Dutch have the same medical procedures, prices and prescription drug prices throughout the country. This will be compared to the cost and non-transparent changes in family plans from one state to another, as well as the differences in coding for medical services.
- The Dutch primary health plan does not have cost-sharing, reimbursement limits, or co-pays. In order to change the insurer and insured costs, the government can increase the mandatory deductible which is currently $275 or the insured can choose a higher self-risk deductible in exchange of a lower health insurance premium/cost.
Bottom Line
Were we able to find the best healthcare system on the planet? The Dutch healthcare system has the highest ranking. It also has some downsides that they can and will work to improve. The Dutch Health Care System has a significant cost-effectiveness. The service is fully covered. The Dutch have a clear understanding of medical procedures, drug prices and codes for health services. You must have insurance if you are an expat from outside the EEA or E.U. or a Swiss national or an international student.
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