Northern Switzerland Cooperation in Basel health policy put to the test
Basel's Health Director Lukas Engelberger (center) describes the cooperation between the two Basel cantons in health and hospital policy as more difficult in terms of content than in the past. He said this on Monday at a media conference to mark his tenth anniversary as a member of the cantonal government.
05.08.2024, 15:42
SDA
During his remarks, Engelberger described the inter-cantonal cooperation with, among others, his Basel cantonal counterpart Thomi Jourdan (EPP) as "intensive". In response to questions, he pointed out that the cantons had already gone further in this respect than is now the case.
It is no secret that the relationship between the two cantons is currently experiencing difficulties in various areas. This begins with the control of doctors' licensing, which has already been decided in Basel-Stadt but still has to pass a referendum in Baselland. And this leads to the sensitive issue of hospital tariffs from Basel-Stadt's point of view.
Free movement of patients put to the test
Baselland has put the full free movement of patients to the test in view of the fact that more and more residents of the canton are making the pilgrimage to the more expensive university hospital in the city. The reintroduction of cantonal reference tariffs instead of joint hospital tariffs is being considered.
Engelberger would like to retain the current system, which in Switzerland is only used by the two cantons of Basel and the association of St. Gallen with the two cantons of Appenzell. But the political pressure to save money from the financially strapped canton of Baselland is growing.
Engelberger generally presents himself as an advocate for a nationwide strengthening of regional cooperation. Accordingly, he thinks little of the discussion that health policy should be placed more in the hands of the federal government.
