The many documents available on the P4H Network’s digital platform reflect the network’s scope of work. The majority of documents are primary source materials created by country nationals or resources produced by organizations working in social health protection (SHP) and/or health financing (HF).
The collection provides information on SHP and/or HF reforms and universal health coverage processes from around the world as well as topical analysis and research.
The ethics of behaviour-based insurance models: Solidarity-based concerns in Germany’s statutory health insurance
Sickness funds are starting to use digital behavioral data to encourage physical activity among their members, but the ethical and societal implications, especially in solidarity-based insurance systems, are not well understood. While these programs may foster new...
Forgone Care of doctor’s visits in Germany – Results from three cross-sectional surveys
A study analyzing data from German representative surveys found that 21% of participants reported forgone care in the past year, with higher rates in women and younger adults. The main barriers to accessing care were categorized as systemic, psychological, and...
Using income-based caps to protect people from user charges for health care
User charges for health care—such as co-payments for doctor visits, hospital stays, or medicines—can create significant barriers to accessing necessary services, particularly for people with low incomes. To mitigate this, some countries in Europe have adopted...
Public health in Germany: structures, dynamics, and ways forward
Germany faces challenges in public health despite its strong economy and social welfare system, with health indicators lagging behind other European nations. Key issues include the lack of a central public health authority, insufficient funding for prevention, and...
The other health care system in Germany: care for people without health insurance
A study identified 128 institutions in Germany providing healthcare to uninsured individuals. The care offered was varied and often reliant on private donations, with specialties including general medicine, gynecology, and psychiatry, but overall access was uneven and...
Financing universal health care: Premiums or payroll taxes?
This paper evaluates the transition of Germany's hybrid health insurance system to a uniform system, which could be financed through funded or unfunded premiums or payroll taxes. The findings reveal that while payroll taxes offer good insurance properties, they also...
Comparison of health spending in France and Germany
The report by IRDES examines healthcare expenditures in France and Germany, two countries with similar spending levels (over 12% of GDP) despite having distinct healthcare systems. Germany: Pioneered social health insurance, offering universal coverage through a...
Preventive Health Care Act in Germany for Primary Prevention and Health Promotion
The Prevention Act (PrävG), which came into force on July 25, 2015, aims to improve cooperation between social insurance providers, states, and municipalities in promoting health and prevention for people of all age groups. This initiative emphasizes prevention in...
Can people afford to pay for health care- Evidence on financial protection in 40 countries in Europe
The WHO Barcelona Office for Health Systems Financing has published a report reviewing financial protection in 40 countries in Europe.Financial protection – affordable access to health care – is undermined when out-of-pocket payments for health care lead to financial...
Health financing policies during the COVID-19 pandemic and implications for universal health care
A research paper published in the December 2023 Issue of the Lancet Global Health on how 15 countries responded to the COVID-19 pandemic through their health financing policies. The paper has been co-authored by Aungsumalee Pholpark, Community Facilitator for the Asia...