Payment varies from insurance and rates. However, the characteristics of benefits and payments differ slightly in Germany and the USA.

Germany

A private health insurance holder enjoys a wider benefits catalogue in comparison to a regular insurant. It is possible to adjust services to ones own needs and wishes. One insurant focuses on dental care coverage. The other might focus on assumption of costs for a visit to the alternative practitioner. There is no legally binding regulation in terms of compulsory insurance. Everyone is free to choose whatever suits him. The insurant only pays for what he has chosen. Services are agreed by contract. The legislator is not allowed to interfere. Coverage depends to great extend on the amount of money the insurant is willing or able to spend monthly. As incentive insurance companies in part repay money to insurants who did not receive any benefits because they did not fall ill.

Settlement is about reimbursement. The insurant pays for his treatment in advance. The insurance company does not always refund the entire expenses. Costs of payments and benefits come from something that is known as scale of charges for physicians (Gebührenordnung für Ärzte (GOÄ)).

United States

When it comes to settlement the German system equals the American system. The American system is also about reimbursement of costs. The sick person sees a doctor, concludes a contract, and gets an invoice which he passes on to his insurance company. He does not pay in advance. Costs of treatments and benefits come from recommendations of regional medical associations.

The scope of services of a private health insurance in the United States is not comparable with its counterpart in Germany. Ambulatory treatment, inpatient treatment, prevention, and dental care treatment (in parts) are mostly inclusive. If someone wants to have best reimbursements when it comes to dental care must take out an additional insurance. You may want to take out an additional insurance because costs for dental care are immense in the USA. Chronic diseases are poorly covered. If someone wants to be covered in the case of a specific disease he must take out an additional insurance. Whilst German insurants can pay an extra charge in order to benefit from a compensation for a stay in hospital or a compensation for loss of earnings, Americans often do not benefit from these kinds of payments.