GDK President Engelberger relies on supra-regional hospital planning
Published: Thursday, Sep 26th 2024, 14:50
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As President of the Conference of Cantonal Health Directors, Lukas Engelberger (center) believes that all players in the healthcare sector have a duty to take cost-containment measures. He describes the regulation on the uniform financing of outpatient and inpatient services, which will be put to the vote on November 24, as a major step forward.
Engelberger is pragmatic about the 6 percent increase in premiums throughout Switzerland. In principle, the development of premiums follows the development of costs, the Basel health director told the Keystone-SDA news agency after the figures were announced on Thursday. "In order to reduce the premium burden, cost growth must therefore also be contained."
In addition, a large part of the increase is due to factors that cannot be influenced by healthcare policy, continued Engelberger. These include demographic trends, general inflation, the increased costs incurred by service providers due to the shortage of specialists and the switching behavior of insured persons.
Engelberger described the upcoming vote on the regulation of uniform funding for outpatient and inpatient services, which the cantons support, as an opportunity to curb healthcare costs. "Among other things, uniform funding would remove obstacles to the cost-reducing shift from inpatient to outpatient care."
Engelberger believes that the cantons are still in the right hands when it comes to hospital planning, which in some cases drives up costs. The federal government lacks proximity to the provision of care. However, cooperation across cantonal borders could still be expanded.
©Keystone/SDA
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