The EFAS reform, up for vote on November 24, will allow a reduction in health premiums of around two billion francs, according to a partisan committee. Made up of members of the six parliamentary groups, it presented its arguments on Tuesday.
The uniform financing project for ambulatory and inpatient health services (EFAS) provides for the same financing key for inpatient care (hospitals and EMS) and for outpatient care (medical practices, hospital outpatient services and home care). The cantons will have to pay 26.9%.
Currently, they finance inpatient services up to at least 55%, the rest being covered by health insurers. In the outpatient sector, services are covered 100% by compulsory healthcare insurance.
More transparency
Advances in medicine make it possible to perform more and more operations on an outpatient basis. If hospital settings benefit, with savings in costs and staff resources, premium payers do not benefit, according to the committee.
Outpatient treatment costs more for an insured person than if the treatment had taken place in an inpatient setting, he argued. And to denounce an “unfair and totally absurd” system. The reform brings transparency: with common financing, “all players are in the same boat”, which creates a common interest in the overall costs.
Fearing, on the contrary, a further increase in premiums and a drop in the quality of care, the Swiss Union of Public Services (SSP) launched the referendum against the project. It is supported by the Swiss Trade Union Union (USS), the Unia union as well as representatives of the Vert-es and the PS.
>> Read the explanations: Opponents of the reform of the healthcare financing system fear increases in premiums
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