ABSTRACT
The German public health care system has the world’s longest history. The first compulsory health insurance system in Germany was introduced in 1849 in Prussia; it was compulsory for minors and allowed local communities to oblige employees and their employers to pay financial contributions. In 1881, the Emperor declared social welfare for the poor to be essential for national survival in a hostile world. As a result, the first national health insurance system was introduced by Otto von Bismarck (the Chancellor and head of the government) in the year 1883.
