[pjc50]

I think it would have helped if you specified Czech rather than "Europe", because it's a big place and it looks like many of the smaller countries have this kind of non-public system. The rules appear to be complicated: https://www.kancelarzp.cz/en/links-info-en/health-insurance-...

It sounds like there's a hole for people to fall in: if you're a Czech national, but not resident nor employed in Czech Republic, but in the country anyway, and you don't have private insurance, then you have a problem.

(It looks like if you're a resident proper in another EU country with resident-based healthcare, such as the UK, then that would work for EHIC purposes if you visited Czech Republic.)

[TomMarius]

There are rules that are EU-wide - because they're set by an EU regulation. If you're a resident in any EU country, you get the blue card. That makes you entitled to whatever (this is depending on the country and not set by the regulation) in your country of residence and basic care of life threatening issues in the rest of EU, Czech Republic included; however if you injure yourself doing e.g. sports in other EU country, that's not covered! That's why travel insurance still exists, otherwise it'd be pointless.

My comment was talking about uninsured people, so mostly non-EU residents and people that didn't pay and weren't entitled for coverage by their government - the way it works is that your governments pays the insurance for you if you can't, but will not if you can; there is an exception - Germany, where everyone is covered through taxes.

[hef19898]

I'm no expert on the gritty details of the German system (who would have thought health care could be that complicated, right?) but as German resident I have some insights. Everybody who knows better, please correct me.

In Germany everybody who is employed in way that pays social insurance is also health insured, you cannot opt out of it. In that system, in addition to taxes, social security and unemployment insurance, you pay a certain percentage of your gross salary to get health insurance. This percentage varies by your choosen provider. Your employer is paying the same amount (more or less, not sure if the employer amount is fixed). You can opt out of the public system above a certain salary and pick private insurance, prices vary greatly.

Unemployed people are insured by the state, I guess using taxes or social security or unemployement budgets, I have no idea. You have to be registered as unemployed to be covered. If you do not register you have the choice of being insured with a family member (public health care) or voluntarily (private or via the public system). You are obliged to be insured oine way or the other.

Exceptions are soldiers (some kind of in-service system with cost reimbursement, don't ask for the details), public servants (something similar in a lot of cases, again, please don't insist on details), certain professions (doctors, pharmacists, artists,lawyers) with their own insurance solutions. You are screwed as a afreelancer, your only solution is a private insurance that can get quite expensiver.

TL/Dr: You are always insured one way or the other. It is not paid for by taxes.

[TomMarius]

Yes I got that part wrong. Sorry I misunderstood the text I read on the topic, you're right. My original comment was talking about people that are not insured (and not obliged to e.g. due to not being residents). My point is that healthcare always costs something, and the sum is very similar to the cost in the US once you get them to give you a discount for uninsured people - but of course there is better social security for entitled people (most of residents) in the EU.

[hef19898]

Last time I checked, the US was among the most expensive countries regarding health care. But I don't have a source at the moment.

And sure, health care ia costing money, nobody is argueing that. What Europe figured out is that a solidaric system, one where people with less individual costs are covering for those with higher costs, are the optimal solution from a national perspective. It still pizzles me how that can actually be a issue in any developed democracy.

And again, all legal residents are eligible for health care in EU countries. A good thing if you ask me.

[TomMarius]

> Last time I checked, the US was among the most expensive countries regarding health care. But I don't have a source at the moment.

Yes, but that's comparing listed prices and not adjusted for purchasing parity. They will substantially reduce the price if you're not insured and ask them.

> And again, all legal residents are eligible for health care in EU countries. A good thing if you ask me.

I tend to agree, but that's not my point. I'm just saying that a clinic will bill you (indirectly) roughly the same as they'd in the US after you get it adjusted, but of course it's fully covered for most people here.

[hef19898]

I higjly doubt the last part, but I don't have any numbers. Just as some added cintaxt, the actual ciats are also quite different between European countries. And treatment is not the only cost driver, the way the system is set-up also has a big impact. One of the reasons why Germany is also constantly among the most expensive countries.