HCISPP · Question #289
Which of the following is a characteristic of a socialized health insurance system?
The correct answer is A. Health care is financed through government-mandated contributions by employers and employees. A socialized health insurance system is defined by government-mandated employer and employee contributions to finance healthcare, while delivery remains through private or semi-private providers - distinguishing it from a fully socialized medicine model.
Question
Which of the following is a characteristic of a socialized health insurance system?
Options
- AHealth care is financed through government-mandated contributions by employers and employees
- BHealth care is delivered by government-employed providers
- CBoth a and b
- DNeither a nor b
How the community answered
(58 responses)- A91% (53)
- B5% (3)
- C2% (1)
- D2% (1)
Why each option
A socialized health insurance system is defined by government-mandated employer and employee contributions to finance healthcare, while delivery remains through private or semi-private providers - distinguishing it from a fully socialized medicine model.
In a socialized health insurance system (also called social health insurance or Bismarck model, as used in Germany, France, and Japan), the defining characteristic is that financing is achieved through compulsory contributions from both employers and employees, administered through non-profit insurance funds. Healthcare delivery itself is not government-run - providers remain largely private - which differentiates this model from a national health service.
Government-employed healthcare providers delivering care is a characteristic of a socialized medicine or national health service system (Beveridge model, such as the UK's NHS), not a socialized health insurance system.
Because option B describes socialized medicine rather than socialized health insurance, combining A and B does not accurately describe a socialized health insurance system.
Option A correctly characterizes socialized health insurance, so 'neither a nor b' is factually incorrect.
Concept tested: Socialized health insurance system financing characteristics
Source: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/international-health-policy-center/countries
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