German health system "overpriced & overburdened:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The German institute for economic research (ifo) has criticised the health service as being too expensive in certain areas compared with international competitors. It was particularly inefficient in its treatment of heart attacks, diabetes, long-term illnesses and certain cancers. The institute said that, although the overall level of healthcare provision was high, the system was burdened by the unhealthy lifestyle of the population. Germans visit their doctor 12 times per year in comparison with the European average of 7.3 times.