Federal Council wants a new attempt to increase deductibles
Published: Thursday, Sep 5th 2024, 16:20
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SVP parliamentarians are making a new attempt to increase the health insurance deductible. They are calling for motions to ensure that the deductible better reflects the current cost situation in basic insurance. The Federal Council agrees.
The minimum deductible for basic insurance is CHF 300. Patients must pay this portion of their treatment costs themselves each year. The deductible has not been increased since 2004, write SVP National Councillor Diana Gutjahr (TG) and SVP State Councillor Esther Friedli (SG) in their motions.
An increase is therefore appropriate and a periodic adjustment is needed. However, the adjustment mechanism should be moderate so that the same deductibles can be chosen over several years. A higher deductible would make premiums cheaper. Children's deductibles should not be subject to the adjustment mechanism.
The Federal Council agrees with the motions, as stated in its statement published on Thursday. It did not justify its position.
Five years ago, it was the SVP, of all parties, that brought down an ongoing adjustment of deductibles to health costs. It had initially supported the necessary amendment to the Health Insurance Act (KVG), but changed its mind at the end of the consultations. The bill failed in the final vote in March 2019.
The Left Party said no on the grounds that more and more people were foregoing visits to the doctor because they could not afford them. In an OECD comparison, insured persons in Switzerland already pay the largest share of healthcare costs out of their own pockets.
©Keystone/SDA
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