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Germany: If I'm sick and want an appointment asap I just go. They tell you to call in advance but if you do they give you an appointment for another day and if you just rock up they tell you to sit down and wait for the doc. Which can take anywhere between 5 minutes and 5 hours, at least that's about the range I've experienced. Oh and not sure if that's only a thing here but it's common to awkwardly greet the other patients when you get into the waiting area.
Seeing the doc would be similar to the US I guess, except there's no need to discuss money. Doctors shake hands here, maybe that's different from you but Idk. After the appointment you check in with the front desk again to fetch any prescriptions (although those are mostly digital since last year) and notes you may need for work. That's also the time to book a follow up appointment if you need one.
Cost depends on what you got. Getting extensive bloodwork or some less "necessary" exams for example aren't covered by insurance. There's a flat 5€ fee for prescription meds and 10€ per day in a clinic. If you don't have enough money you can let the insurance company know and they'll cover some of those fees too.
Jesus... As an American, we already pay $1,200 a month for the privilege of paying $50+ just to walk into the doctors office. Forget prescriptions or testing...
We do also get money taken directly out of our pay check for health insurance. So it isn't just the 5 euro fee. But I think it manages to be considerably less, since everyone is required to have insurance. I think that brings down the cost for everyone.
This is what absolutely kills me about the people around me in this country....
The owner of a company has an idea of your total value, your "compensation." They factor in the cost of healthcare in that calculation, so we're still paying for the insurance and yet so many people see it as "their company pays for it, if we had universal healthcare then I would have to pay a tax!" ... mother fucker you already pay the "tax" for a much worse, more expensive system where people still aren't covered...
Yes, average healthcare costs per year in the US was $ 13,432 per capita and in Germany was $ 8,441 per capita in 2023 (PPP adjusted). Germany is the third most expensive comparable country, second most expensive was Switzerland with $ 9,688.
UK national healthcare btw. was $ 6,023, so less than half of US costs.
compared to the average healthcare costs in all US-comparable countries of $ 7,393, the US manages to spend nearly double.
Source
Also Germany: I live rural. Most times I've gone I see the doctor itv takes than 30 minutes, but it depends on who else is there obviously. First come first served.
Interesting that they ask you to call in advance. I've never had that. We can, if we want an after midday appointment for something specific.
Yes, the awkward "Moin". Definitely!
There used to be a 15 euro per quarter charge when using the local doctor. They scrapped that a few years ago.
All the blood work I've had has been free. But I'm not sure what you meant by extensive. I take a lot of anti biotics, so they check my liver numbers occasionally.
But yeah, generally a similar experience to you.
Yeah, I'll pass sitting in a small room with more sick people.
Don't you think if this was an issue we'd have addressed it by now? 😅
Global warming, inequality, bodily autonomy (euthanasia, abortion), healthcare accessibility, pay gaps... sitting in a room with sick people is not even the first trivially solvable issue on this list but it's definitely among them 😅. Wouldn't be the first time someone catches long covid from sitting at the doctor's where the other patient wasn't aware they were infected/infectious yet
Call ahead and schedule an appointment saying you are sick and need the AU for the employer?