Radical 10,000-franc excess arrange 'could slash Swiss insurance bills'

The business executive of a Swiss insurance believes raising the minimum insurance excess, or deductible, to as high as ten,000 francs might mean immense savings on monthly insurance bills.

Radical 10,000-franc excess arrange 'could slash Swiss insurance bills'

The radical suggestion by the top of CCS insurance Philomena Colatrella comes within the context of skyrocketing concern regarding high insurance prices in an exceedingly country wherever having a non-public insurance policy is required.

The fact that health care prices and insurance premiums outstrip wage and value growth are inflicting headaches for the Swiss government. 

Read also: a whole bunch demonstrate in Geneva against rise in health premiums

Indeed, the chief incorporates a slew of measures on the table geared toward transferral down prices – together with, as an example, exaggerated use of generic medicines – only if Swiss health payment was eleven.1 of value % in 2011 against associate OECD average of eight.9 percent.

'Not revolutionary enough'

But CCS chief Colatrella believes several of the measures proposes by the govt. aren't revolutionary enough.

Talking to the Sonntags Blick newspaper, she aforesaid raising insurance excesses to five,000 francs or maybe ten,000 francs a year would mean savings of a billion francs a year for the health system.

Currently, individuals in European nation will select their 'excess' - the upper the surplus the lower the monthly premium, and the other way around. the littlest attainable excess is three hundred francs.

But Colatrella’s idea for associate extreme makeover of the health system would, she admitted, amendment the present model utterly.

She aforesaid initial estimates showed drastically raising minimum excesses might bring down the monthly premium for basic insurance to one hundred seventy francs.

The insurance boss conjointly argued these lower premiums would mean extra money can be freed up to supply monetary help to people that couldn't afford the upper excess.

The proposal by Colatrella conjointly, in theory a minimum of, puts the ball back within the consumer’s court on the question of individuals’ responsibility for his or her health. The explanation, conjointly backed by the Swiss government, is that higher insurance excesses mean individuals don't run to the doctor if they need a minor pathological state. This, in turn, therefore the thinking goes, reduces health care prices.

'The whole purpose of the insurance is gone'

However, critics were fast to attack the thought.

“When the prices of this social safety internet [that is, the insurance system] don’t start up of the monthly premiums then the complete purpose of getting insurance is gone,” aforesaid the top of patient rights cluster SPO.

In European nation, people United Nations agency willnot afford their health care prices can request monetary help from native authorities. With this low excess prices, comparatively few individuals do take this route. however underneath Colatrella’s theme, much more individuals would want to request that help. the ultimate outcome would see that help popping out of people’s pockets within the variety of tax.

For national member and Socialist Party vp, Barbara Gysi, the matter is even worse: “Once once more the burden is being placed on people who will least afford it," she told Swiss news portal twenty minutes.

Fellow Socialist Party politician Hans Stöckli aforesaid older and inveterately sick patients would be those to suffer most.

And in keeping with Swiss health social scientist Heinz Locher: "The purpose of the surplus is to prevent individuals planning to the doctor for each very little niggle. however if [excesses] were raised drastically, countless individuals wouldn't move to the doctor despite being sick."