Politics Council of States wants to relax compulsory contracts for health insurers

The contractual obligation between health insurers and doctors and hospitals is to be relaxed. A corresponding amendment to the Health Insurance Act (KVG) is intended to counteract rising costs in the Swiss healthcare system.

This is what the Council of States wants. On Thursday, the small chamber adopted a corresponding motion by Peter Hegglin (center/ZG) by 30 votes to 12 with one abstention. The Council thus followed the majority of its Social Security and Health Committee (SGK-S), which had recommended the motion for approval.

Under the current KVG, health insurers are obliged to conclude a contract with every licensed service provider. Only formal criteria are relevant for approval.

An existing oversupply or inefficient service provision are irrelevant for inclusion in a tariff agreement, the SGK-S reported. Service providers are therefore largely free in their choice of location, which leads to concentrations in some areas and undersupply in others.

Where there is overprovision, the obligation to contract should therefore be relaxed. Ultimately, this would strengthen competitive incentives to practice where the supply does not exceed the maximum numbers, according to motionary Hegglin.

A left-green minority - like the Federal Council - unsuccessfully opposed the proposal. The National Council must now decide on the motion.