Healthcare Health insurers oppose higher doctor's fees in Aargau

The Federal Administrative Court must deal with the increase in the Tarmed tax point value for outpatient medical services decided by the Aargau government. Tarifsuisse/Santésuisse has lodged an appeal against the government's decision. The dispute has been going on for more than a decade.

Tarifsuisse is committed to efficient tariffs in the interests of premium payers, emphasized Manuel Ackermann from the health insurance association Santésuisse on Thursday at the request of the Keystone-SDA news agency.

According to current case law, these tariffs must be based on a transparent cost basis. Any increase in the tax point values would ultimately lead to higher premiums. Tarifsuisse doubts that the present increase is justified and would like to have the decision of the Aargau government reviewed by the Federal Administrative Court.

At the beginning of May, the cantonal government decreed that the tax point value would be increased from 89 to 92 centimes - with retroactive effect from January 1, 2013.

The tariff applies between the doctors represented in the Aargau Medical Association and the insurers represented by Tarifsuisse AG. The two contractual partners have not yet been able to reach an agreement.

The increase in the tax point value by 3 centimes could have an impact on the health insurance companies. It could ultimately involve millions that have had to be paid since 2013.

Medical association expresses disappointment

The Aargau Medical Association criticized the other side in an open letter. Santésuisse's unwillingness to compromise on the tariff issue is "extremely difficult to understand". A legally binding decision would be delayed by further years due to the appeal.

In the open letter printed as an advertisement in a newspaper on Thursday, the doctors' association pointed out that the tax point value in Aargau had last been increased in 1989. Despite a general inflation rate of more than 40 percent, the tax point value has never been adjusted since then. "We remain willing to compromise," the open letter said.

SDA