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In Switzerland, health insurance is organized individually, with everyone free to choose their own health insurer. Premiums are risk-based, and insurers may make a profit. On the other hand, insurers offering supplementary insurance are allowed to reject applicants and to set exclusions. (To combat the dangers of risk selection, there is a retroactive risk equalization scheme in force between insurers.) Anyone who applies to join must be accepted, and while the level of premium can vary enormously between insurers, rates must be identical within each company for all insured persons in the same age category and region, regardless of sex or state of health. Although private, these are strictly regulated and are not allowed to make a profit on mandatory health insurance. Although this is not obligatory, many Swiss buy it to ensure extras such as a private hospital room or dental coverage.ĭelivery is through a combination of public, subsidised private and totally private delivery services.īasic insurance is offered by over 80 health insurers or health funds. Supplementary health insurance is available to cover additional services.
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These include most general practitioner/family doctor and specialist services, as well as medicines, hospital treatment, pregnancy, psychiatric care, physiotherapy, some preventive therapies, nursing and transport, plus accidents (important for people not covered by employers’ mandatory accident insurance). The mandatory basic insurance covers a broad range of treatments set out in the Federal Act. At the same time, however, the 26 cantonal governments provide important subsidies to hospitals, and the federal government plays a key role in regulating the industry and influencing premiums and medical costs. Unlike many of the state-supported European models of universal coverage, the Swiss system relies heavily, although not exclusively, on the private sector. At the same time, all residents are obliged to take out basic health insurance, (for newcomers, within three months of taking up residence or being born), known as LAMal (Loi sur l’Assurance Maladie obligatoire) or KVG (Krankenversicherungsgesetz). Swiss private insurers are required to offer basic coverage to everyone, regardless of age or medical history. Since the implementation in 1996 of the Swiss Federal Health Insurance Act of 1994, Switzerland has guaranteed comprehensive medical treatment to all its 7.6 million residents. Universal coverage – mandatory but not socialized So how exactly does medical care work in Switzerland, and what are its pros and cons? That’s probably why around 90% of users report moderate or complete satisfaction with the system. The reasons are easy to see: Switzerland has an extensive network of doctors and clean, well-equipped hospitals and clinics waiting lists for treatment are short patients are free to choose their own doctor and usually have unlimited access to specialists accident and emergency rooms are rarely overwhelmed. Switzerland’s health system has been described by some as the best in the world and is often held up as a model for other countries. Rising longevity and constantly improving medical treatments are having a profound impact on the costs, delivery capabilities and consumer expectations of medical systems worldwide.įrom the heated discussion in the US over President Obama’s plans for universal coverage, to the battles in the UK over the management and future of the NHS (National Health Service), healthcare is a crucial issue that needs intelligent and objective analysis and consideration. Healthcare is rarely out of the headlines today.