Bismarck's Health Insurance

Bismarck's Health Insurance, established in Germany in the 1880s, was a program designed to provide workers with medical care and income support during illness. Funded primarily through employer and employee contributions, it emphasizes shared responsibility. The system introduced mandatory health coverage, setting a foundation for modern employer-based health plans. Its goal was to improve public health and worker productivity while preventing financial hardship from illness. Today, the Bismarck model influences many countries’ healthcare systems by combining social insurance principles with regulated benefit standards.