Health insurance status in different countries

Since the pharmaceutical industry has made significant progress on the Internet in 1999, e-public (e-commerce transactions) and e-commerce (e-business using internet technology, such as intranet and extranet security to carry out business activities). But compared with other industries, the use of this electronic media to improve business is still lagging behind. Novell and the London School of Economics ever made ​​a special investigation of world network service status on eight industries. The investigation showed that the pharmaceutical industry was not leading. They shorted from seven aspects: information, advertising, product promotions, online ordering, payment, room service, innovation and ease of use. The pharmaceutical industry was only ranking in one aspect; listing in the third place but significantly behind in other aspects. The report showed that few websites of pharmaceutical industry were set up considering much of users and easy to browse. In a user guide including 100 major companies’ websites, some large pharmaceutical companies are in the place of 50 to 100. Nevertheless, in the USA, Canada and other countries, online pharmacies play an important role in human daily life. Online pharmacies seem to be one of the most common channels of purchase of medicines. The data showed, in 2004, the total e-commerce transactions U.S. medical industry were up to 3700 billion U.S. dollars from $ 6.4 billion in 1999, in which B2B electronic transactions connecting providers and hospitals, pharmacies and clinics reached $ 124 billion. And the online diagnostics and online pharmacies B2C transactions reached $ 22 billion. Another survey shows that now there are about 140 online Canadian Pharmacies provide prescription to one million Americans.

In United States, the employers generally provide health insurances for employees as well as their family members. Besides, the health care expenses are highly expensive. A serious disease or a heavy accident will often give rise to an economic dilemma. Therefore, the importance of health insurances in United States can be known clearly. However, paying attention to the health insurance coverage will be more important. Thus, it is necessary for you to see whether the frequently-occurring disease is included in the health insurance coverage or not. The health insurance coverage of United States is not as wide as that of China’s Taiwan.

In general, the health insurance coverage of United States has to be hospitalization, ambulatory treatment, diagnosis, radiation, as well as chemical, physical, breathing, occupational and speech therapy etc. If the treatments are not in the health care coverage, they are usually the necessities in terms of the non-medical treatment. Be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking the health insurance coverage of United States including everything.

A research report written by Kaiser Family Foundation and other related institutions said that the health insurance cost offered by employers increased sharply. But experts said the increasing speed of health insurance will slow down in 2012.
The report showed that family health insurance premiums of the employer-sponsored health insurance plan have increased 9 percent to $ 15,000. In addition, the U.S. personal full payment of premiums increased by 8%. These two data enjoyed the growth rate higher than 2010. The payments by American families and individuals the full premium of the premiums increased 3% and 5%. The study shows that since 2001, the payments of the full premium by American families and individuals doubled, while wages increased by only 34%
U.S. companies and workers health insurance costs continue to grow rapidly. The cost of family health insurance premium growth rate (9%) was three time more than that in 2010 (3%), and exceeded the rate of wage increases during the same period.
Investigation did not tell us the reason why this soaring in insurance premiums this year happened. Leaders of the foundation said that health care costs will continue to rise and new medical reform in this area plays a minor role.

Private health insurance is playing a very important role in health insurance system of Australia, covering 44% proportion of the population, after France, the United States, Canada and Ireland. The spending on it accounted for 7.1% of expenses of national health, after the United States, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Canada. Like other countries in Economic Cooperation Organization, industry’s business practice of private health insurance in Australia is very strict. There are nearly 20 laws and regulations related to private health insurance. The promulgation of these laws not only protects the interests of consumers, but also reduces the legal burden of private health insurance industry. The sustained and healthy development of Australian private health insurance industry is largely due to the regulatory environment, especially the implementation of regulatory policy since the 1980s. Besides，the country provided the impetus for the development of private health insurance through the independent regulatory authorities, strict entry criteria and timely financial and tax support. Therefore, for our country, we should accelerate the laws and regulations, separate regulations as soon as possible, further improve industry access standards, and increase policy support, so as to promote the continuous development of private health insurance effectively.

“Do not say that the insured, even if the insurance company a lot of people are not quite sure. Insurance agents said that insurance in Hong Kong is cheaper, but the insured did not know more details and they don’t know how to compare.” Although the premium is not cheap, but it does not mean that Hong Kong’s policy did not value. “Former products can provide guaranteed rate of return of 4%, as well as fixed additional income. Domestic investment rate of return is higher than the level of universal insurance. High yield means high risk for insurance companies, so the premium has to be higher so that it has more money to invest in the operation, while Hong Kong’s investment channels more complete, more obvious advantage. ”
Miss Liu was recommended by another participating whole life insurance, the insured amount of its HK$ 300,000 needs annual premium of HK $ 37,000, which is about 31,000 Yuan. “In the mainland, it can reach 6000 Yuan on the same guarantees.” Although the premium is high, it brings a higher premium rate of return. Although the 10-year premium payment can be extracted after reaching the limit, decades of high premiums for their input can bring higher returns.
From the view of premium rate of return, the insurance in Hong Kong is cheaper than mainland though it has higher premiums.