One in four people who want to vote on November 24th do not yet know whether they are voting yes or no to the uniform financing of outpatient and inpatient services (EFAS).
This is shown by the first poll from 20 Minutes and Tamedia. The yes and no camps are also on equal terms. So it will be exciting.
With the reform, the Federal Council and Parliament want to eliminate false incentives. The responsible Federal Councilor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider also repeated this message several times on Friday at her media conference on the vote.
“The way services are financed has a direct influence on the premiums,” explained the SP magistrate. An inguinal hernia can also be treated on an outpatient basis, but more than 50 percent are carried out on an inpatient basis. The health insurance companies have no interest in outpatient procedures because they have to pay for them in full themselves.
The uniform financing of outpatient and inpatient services (Efas) stipulates that all health insurance services in the doctor’s office, in the hospital with overnight stays or in the nursing home are financed according to the same distribution key. The cantons should now always cover at least 26.9 percent and health insurers should cover a maximum of 73.1 percent of the costs – and this for all types of services mentioned.
With the reform, the Federal Council and Parliament want to avoid false incentives: Today it is not attractive enough for health insurers to promote cheaper outpatient treatments. The unions took the referendum against the reform. They warn of greater pressure on premiums.
“The current financing model is slowing down the shift, but we want more outpatient treatment,” says Baume-Schneider. This is cheaper, often more pleasant for patients and leads to fewer hospital infections.
With a yes to EFAS, all stakeholders would have an interest in choosing the most cost-effective treatment in the future. Baume-Schneider was convinced that care would also benefit.
In addition to Baume-Schneider, Basel government councilor Lukas Engerberger was also on the podium. He chairs the cantonal conference of health directors, which also supports the proposal. “It is important to us that care services are also included. The cost growth will be distributed holistically across the cantons and insurers,” said the Mitte representative.
It can be assumed that the premiums will tend to increase less than in the current system if the proposal is adopted. However, not all cantons are of this opinion – Ticino, for example, rejects the proposal.
The SVP is just as divided as Baume-Schneider’s own party, the SP. While a majority in parliament voted for the bill, the rank and file followed the unions into the no camp. The divide even runs right through the party headquarters. Co-chief executive Mattea Meyer voted yes, co-president Cédric Wermuth voted no.
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