Mitte wants to tackle the causes of healthcare costs instead of the symptoms
Published: Saturday, Feb 24th 2024, 13:40
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The center is relying on its own recipes to combat high health insurance premiums. It supports its cost brake initiative, but rejects the SP's premium relief initiative.
The Mitte delegates' meeting in Schwyz on Saturday adopted the slogans for two referendums on June 9. Both are about the expensive healthcare system.
The Center Party's cost brake initiative calls for measures to be taken if healthcare costs rise too sharply compared to wages. The SP's premium relief initiative, on the other hand, calls for more premium reductions. Insured persons should have to spend a maximum of ten percent on compulsory health insurance.
Combat the cause
The advantage of the cost brake initiative is that it does not tackle the symptoms, namely the high premiums, but the cause, namely the costs, said Yvonne Bürgin, a member of the National Council from the center of Zurich. The proposed cost brake makes all stakeholders responsible for taking cost-saving measures.
For the centrists, the premium relief initiative is therefore the wrong way to combat symptoms. The SP initiative is also too expensive, said Lorenz Hess, Member of the National Council for the Center Party in Bern. A moderate adjustment to the premium reduction is the right thing to do, but the costs must also be discussed.
Combination of initiatives
Graubünden SP National Councillor Jon Pult tried in vain to persuade the centrist delegates to support both popular initiatives. Great progress could be made by combining the two.
According to Pult, the advantages of the SP initiative are that it relieves the burden on part of the population and gives them back purchasing power. It also shifts the pressure exerted by premium growth from the population to the cantons and thus to politicians.
The slogans were clear-cut. The Center delegates supported their own cost brake initiative by 212 votes to 1 with 3 abstentions. They opposed the SP's premium relief initiative with 166 votes in favor, 27 against and 22 abstentions. The Federal Assembly adopted indirect counter-proposals to both bills.
President confirmed in office
The delegates' meeting began with the general election of the party's governing bodies. The 61-year-old National Councillor from Zug, Gerhard Pfister, was confirmed as party president for a further four years. He has held this position since 2016, making him the longest-serving president of a major Swiss party.
At the first delegates' meeting of the new legislature, Pfister gave a positive assessment of the federal elections in autumn 2023, saying that the election result was a clear mandate for the party to take on social responsibility, develop viable solutions, stand up for freedom and solidarity and preserve the cohesion of the country.
More than a "value-free business platform"
Pfister believes this cohesion is at risk. Switzerland must be more than a "value-free business platform for everyone", he said. It is attractive for the economy precisely because it is more than just a business location.
An economy without values, an economy that is only committed to profit, does not work, said Pfister. He called for the economy to take on more responsibility again.
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