Letter of the day: for more impactful measures

Vésenaz, December 3

On November 24, the people accepted the modification of the federal law on health insurance, relating to uniform financing of benefits. However, it has not been demonstrated, without doubt, that this reform contributes to a significant reduction in premiums.

Medical-technical progress, the aging of the population, the extension of insured services, the high price of medicines, the increase in the cost of medical procedures, at the origin of the recurring increase in health costs, temper this revision.

In 1996, the introduction of the obligation to take out insurance certainly reinforced the principle of solidarity between all citizens, but did not result in controlling prices. For the reasons mentioned, but also by a competitive deficiency regulated more by supply than by demand, in the context of a market without real competition between the players in the Swiss health system.

Therefore, I very much doubt that this change in the financing method, focused mainly on a transfer from hospital to outpatient care, will significantly reduce the overall bill.

Compared to an annual expenditure of more than 91 billion, the potential savings, estimated at 440 million, seem modest and even more insignificant spread over approximately 8 million policyholders obliged to take out contracts. In my opinion, without much greater financial participation from the State, it would surprise me to see a significant drop in premiums, or even their stabilization. Citizens, through health insurance, co-pays, mandatory and chosen deductibles, assume more than 60% of a constantly increasing expense.

In reality, this revision, which is limited to proposing a new distribution of costs without significant impact on families’ cash flow, calls for other more impactful measures.

Jean-Paul Graf

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