- The center party wants to combat rising health insurance premiums with its cost brake initiative.
- The initiative calls for action if health care costs rise too much compared to wages.
- The other parties reject the cost brake initiative.
The center party argues: The advantage of the cost brake initiative is that it does not address the symptoms, namely the high premiums, but rather the cause, namely the costs. The cost brake makes all actors responsible for taking savings measures.
Center party demands commitment
The counter-proposal is not sufficient, Geneva Center National Councilor Vincent Maitre told the media in Bern. The law is no guarantee that cost-cutting measures will actually be implemented. If the defined savings targets are not achieved, the counterproposal does not provide for any binding solutions.
According to the center party, this kind of commitment is needed to contain costs. The rising premiums are a reflection of the cost explosion. The health system with its numerous players is not in a position to reform itself. “We have lived in a world of laissez-faire for too long,” says Maitre.
If no limits are placed on the actors, containing healthcare costs will remain a pipe dream.
According to the current status, only the health insurance association Santésuisse supports the cost brake initiative. The other players have no interest in reducing costs and shift the responsibility to each other, says Maitre. And: “If no limits are set for the actors, containing health costs will remain a pious wish.”
Legend:
Party president Gerhard Pfister and his center party receive no support from the other parties for their cost-cutting initiative.
Keystone/Peter Schneider
The center party defends itself against the arguments of the opposition. It is wrong that the initiative would lead to two-class medicine, said Bern National Councilor Lorenz Hess. On the contrary: “Two-class medicine will come if we do nothing.” The center party is concerned with eliminating unnecessary costs and eliminating inefficiencies.
The vote on the popular initiative “For lower premiums – curbing costs in the healthcare system” will take place on June 9th.
