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Germany is the cradle of social health insurance, since the first health insurance system was established in 1883 by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. While France drew inspiration from the German model to introduce social security, health care systems have evolved differently in the two countries. Health care expenditures in Germany (12.7% of gross domestic product in 2022), followed by France (12.1%), are among the highest in the world, trailing only the United States. However, the composition of these expenditures varies between the two countries. This article, taken from a larger study [1], compares the main mechanisms and policies that define and regulate the prices and volumes of hospital and outpatient care in France and Germany. We describe the key strengths and differences between the two health care systems in order to identify elements that could contribute to improving the management of health care expenditure in France.