Keystone-SDA
The director of health insurer Sanitas, Andreas Schönenberger, calls in the press to focus more on the individual responsibility of policyholders. Health costs could be reduced if Switzerland were inspired by the Singapore model, he says.
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November 02, 2024 – 06:15
(Keystone-ATS) With this system, each person saves for their medical expenses and insurance only intervenes for costly interventions. This would reduce costs and create more transparency, believes the boss of Sanitas in an interview broadcast on Saturday by the German-speaking newspapers of the Tamedia press group.
For socially disadvantaged population groups, Mr. Schönenberger proposes state participation in the form of a public fund, as is known in Singapore.
It also proposes granting discounts in supplementary insurance to policyholders who have a healthy lifestyle. This measure is not authorized in basic insurance, he notes. “People who exercise a lot and are at a healthy weight should get money in return.”
No single fund
The boss of Sanitas, however, rejects the idea of a single health fund. Thanks to competition, health insurers are now encouraged to reduce costs and remain innovative, he assures.
State Councilor Pierre-Yves Maillard (PS/VD), president of the Swiss Trade Union Union, repeated Thursday in Lausanne his desire to launch a new popular initiative aimed at establishing a public health fund.
The contours of this new initiative are “being discussed”, he added. However, he has already indicated that, in his opinion, this public fund should not be national, but rely on “cantonal systems. »
