Community Conversations: A Patient’s Perspective on German Healthcare - July 19th

The next Community Conversations is scheduled for Saturday, July 19th from 12:30 to 2:30 pm at the Menomonie Public Library.

On July 19, 2025, native son Brendan Ryan will give a presentation, “A Patient’s Perspective on German Healthcare.”

Germany’s healthcare system is highly accessible.  It is funded by insurance contributions from everyone residing in Germany.  Health Insurance is mandatory, either public and private.  Premiums on the public insurance are based on income levels.

Germany has the oldest national health insurance related to social legislation, developed under Chancellor Otto von Bismarck from 1883 to 1889.  The 3 principles behind this legislation are that (1) the government is responsible for ensuring access to healthcare for those who need it.  (2) Implementation of healthcare should be done with the smallest political and administrative influence.  (3) Healthcare professionals should set procedures for the healthcare system.  Mandatory healthcare has expanded from low-income workers and government employees to now cover the majority of residents and citizens in Germany.

Our speaker, Brendan Ryan, moved to Menomonie with his mother, Margo Hecker, and his two sisters when he was 3 years old.  He graduated from Menomonie Senior High School in 2011.  He earned a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in German and Linguistics.  In 2017, he received an MA in European Linguistics from the University of Freiburg.  He and his wife, Anna, a practicing pediatrician, and their three daughters are visiting family here in Menomonie and Elk Mound; he has offered to share his perspective on German healthcare as he has experienced it.

He will be sharing how the cost of healthcare is paid by the residents of Germany.  He will also speak about the aging population of Germany and how that will affect the healthcare system.  As Germany is the 3rd largest refugee-hosting country in the world, with 2.5 million refugees, I am sure we will have questions about how contentious this issue of immigration is in Germany, especially regarding providing healthcare to all residents.

All are welcome to attend this conversation.

Community Conversations is a local nonpartisan group started in 2015 to discuss topics that affect our community. Presentations feature speakers and videos, followed by conversations about issues affecting the local community and Western Wisconsin.

Submitted.