An overview of health policies for asylum-seekers in Germany

Gottlieb, Nora; Schülle, Mirjam

doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2020.09.009

Cited by 21 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…In some of these studies, the terms asylum seekers and refugees are used interchangeably and are perceived to be the same entity. As long as Syrians who claim asylum are compelled to wait, reports on their healthcare status will consequently appear less frequently in literature (Hermans et al, 2017), information about their healthcare utilization will be scarce (Gottlieb & Schülle, 2020;Norredam et al, 2006), and academic studies will fail to illustrate whether their medical needs are being met (Jervelund et al, 2019). The literature we have does lend support to the observation that Syrians' living conditions affect their mental health and identifies upper respiratory tract infections as the most common health issue (Eleftherakos et al, 2018;Kotsiou et al, 2018;Poole et al, 2018).…”

Section: Digest Of Middle East Studiesmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…Neither were they adequately protected while waiting to gain that status. It appears that EU members, their asylum policies, and the consequent healthcare policies regarding asylum seekers are being fueled by the evolution of political and media campaigns involving the above (Gottlieb & Schülle, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…COHEN aNd PIÑEIRO F. (Gottlieb & Schülle, 2020). In Germany, for example, in the first 18 months after arrival, asylum seekers receive only limited healthcare entitlements which fall below the normal benefits provided to the country's citizens.…”

Section: Digest Of Middle East Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Germany, for example, in the first 18 months after arrival, asylum seekers receive only limited healthcare entitlements which fall below the normal benefits provided to the country's citizens. After this period, the range of healthcare benefits increases until they are equal to those available to German citizens (Gottlieb & Schülle, 2020). Finally, the unequal configurations of healthcare access for asylum seekers across EU members are a reflection of the different asylum dynamics that exist in these states and illustrate the fact that the implementation of the universal human right to health is not absolute but is open to debate.…”

Section: Digest Of Middle East Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Health, time, and space constraints: The drawn‐out story of Syrian transient itinerants seeking asylum in Greece

Cohen

Piñeiro

2021

Digest Mid East Studies

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The effective provision of healthcare for asylum seekers is not only a concern for Syrians in Greece but also goes to the heart of European refugee policy. Through secondary data analysis, this article examines how underlying deficiencies in European asylum policies in Greece have translated into challenging life conditions and healthcare barriers for Syrian asylum claimants in Greece. While time and space have been two dimensions that directly constrain the lives of Syrian asylum seekers, the imbalance of care among different healthcare providers has also led to healthcare constraints. The imbalance of care arising from an abundance of uncoordinated functionaries managing the migrants' healthcare has caused tensions and confusion in healthcare deployment. This article argues that it is more appropriate to refer to Syrian asylum seekers in Greece as Syrian transient itinerants seeking asylum. The aim of the new term is to make the invisible visible-that is, to highlight the fact that the protection of Syrian asylum seekers is not always fully guaranteed in Greece.

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Section: Digest Of Middle East Studiesmentioning

confidence: 75%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Digest Of Middle East Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Digest Of Middle East Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Health, time, and space constraints: The drawn‐out story of Syrian transient itinerants seeking asylum in Greece

Cohen

Piñeiro

2021

Digest Mid East Studies

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“…For a detailed account of Germany's complex health policies for asylum-seekers, please refer to Gottlieb and Schülle. 3 The National Level: Defining the Scope of Health Entitlements Asylum-seekers' social and health benefits are regulated by the federal Asylum Seeker Benefits Act (AsylbLG). Implementation of the AsylbLG -and thus the organization of healthcare provision -is at the discretion of the local governments.…”

Section: Healthcare Provision For Asylum-seekers In Germanymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Electronic Health Insurance Card for Asylum-Seekers in Berlin: Effects on the Local Health System

Gottlieb

Ohm²,

Knörnschild³

2021

Int J Health Policy Manag

Self Cite

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Background: In debates on asylum-seekers’ access to healthcare it is frequently claimed that restrictions are necessary to prevent unduly high health service utilization and costs. Within Germany, healthcare provision for asylum-seekers varies across the different states. Berlin’s authorities removed some barriers to healthcare for asylum-seekers by introducing an electronic health insurance card (HIC) in 2016. We used the HIC introduction in Berlin as an opportunity to investigate the effects of improved healthcare access for asylum-seekers on the local health system. Methods: The study applied a mixed-methods design. A cost analysis compared expenses for outpatient and inpatient health services for asylum-seekers before and after the HIC introduction, based on aggregate claims data and information on expenses for humanitarian healthcare provision that were retrieved from the Berlin authorities. Semi-structured interviews with 12 key informants explored organizational effects like administrative workloads and ethical dilemmas for staff. We performed a content analysis and used respondent validation to enhance the accuracy and trustworthiness of our results. Results: The HIC has reduced bureaucratic complexity and administrative workloads; it has enabled unprecedented financial transparency and control; and it has mitigated ethical tensions. All the while, average per person expenses for outpatient health services have declined since the HIC introduction. However, our cost analysis also indicates a rise in the utilization and costs of inpatient care. Conclusion: The HIC introduction in Berlin suggests that the removal of barriers to healthcare for asylum-seekers can create win-win-situations by reducing administrative workloads, advancing financial transparency, and mitigating ethical tensions, whilst cutting the costs of outpatient healthcare provision. Removing barriers to healthcare thus appears to be a more prudent policy choice than maintaining mechanisms of restriction and control. However, high inpatient care utilization and costs warrant further research.

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„Gemeinsam Wandel gestalten“: Tagungsbericht vom Kongress Armut und Gesundheit 2023

Janella,

Alber,

Amler

et al. 2023

Bundesgesundheitsbl

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An overview of health policies for asylum-seekers in Germany

Cited by 21 publications

References 15 publications

Health, time, and space constraints: The drawn‐out story of Syrian transient itinerants seeking asylum in Greece

Health, time, and space constraints: The drawn‐out story of Syrian transient itinerants seeking asylum in Greece

The Electronic Health Insurance Card for Asylum-Seekers in Berlin: Effects on the Local Health System

„Gemeinsam Wandel gestalten“: Tagungsbericht vom Kongress Armut und Gesundheit 2023

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