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Esc_ape_artist t1_j6x8689 wrote

Reply to comment by jawanda in I'm (m) 31 years old from Germany and am dying of germ cell cancer! AMA by Reiiser

Thank you for the answer.

I have a relative there who has private insurance on top of state(?) insurance and tends to denigrate the national insurance or care as being inadequate. He also has cancer. I’m not sure what the benefits are as he obviously has to pay extra for it vs the relatively minor fees for the national option.

Is any German in fear of losing their home/flat due to that loss of income? I assume one gets social housing provided, so they’re not in danger of being on the street, but all the same it would be traumatic to be evicted.

(Reading my comments myself it shows the difference between here and there. We live in fear of losing everything as much if not more than we fear serious illness)

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jawanda t1_j6x9ajg wrote

Interesting, and I don't know the answer, I'm just a fellow American who was researching it (because of this ama) right as I saw your question so I thought I'd post that link / tidbit.

But I concur, it's horrible how one of our first thoughts about health as Americans is "this is going to bankrupt me" . And according to the conclusion from that German study ...

>Distress and reduced quality of life due to financial problems seem to amplify the burden that already results from a cancer diagnosis and treatment.

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imwer234 t1_j6xag78 wrote

You will not end up on the street in any EU/EES nation because of these kinds of illnesses. Might not live as before if the economy takes a toll on you, but there is a safety net keeping you under a roof.

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Esc_ape_artist t1_j6xcsb6 wrote

That was my (uneducated) understanding. I’m wondering what “roof” one would keep or end up with.

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imwer234 t1_j6xfd6w wrote

EU/ESS countries got different rules, so the standard of living will vary. I know "sick" people in both Sweden and Norway living on the government (tax payers) being able to buy their own home. Might be extremes, but you will at least have a decent appartement in either of these countries. Thinking about it perhaps Sweden and Norway aren't the best examples if we are looking for social misery. But you will still have guarantees within EU/EES, regardless of country, and you will for sure at least have a normal "commie flat".

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Esc_ape_artist t1_j6z69ii wrote

Lol at “commie flat”. The little I’ve seen has been a damn sight better than section 8 housing (welfare housing) in the US. The social housing often seems to be in crummy neighborhoods no matter where you go , though.

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imwer234 t1_j6zaspg wrote

Haha not sure what to call it, think I picked up "commie flat / block" from an eastern European (or even Russian) Youtuber and it stuck with me. However, I have never seen such run-down places as a true "commie flat / block" in the Nordics. I have lived in rough neighborhoods, which honestly pale in comparison to places I have seen filmed in North America. (I'll have to look up section 8 housing, might be something like that I am picturing thinking about run-down places in the USA / North America.) The flats I have lived in have always been more than decent, once there was even an impromptu forced upgrade to the apartment where I got to choose colors for wallpaper, floor etc. I was not receiving any benefits of any kind, just worked full time and had a normal life. Apparently a kind of fund had accumulated for that specific unit and had to be used. And that was a pretty basic apartment I rented via the local municipality.

But yeah, the location wasn't golden. Still decent enough and for the price I paid - couldn't have asked for more.

I am not siding with any political side here, only describing my experience from this kind of housing.

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