New health insurance rates revealed today

Later today the Health Minister, Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, will reveal how much health insurance will rise next year.

It’s expected to be over 5%. That’s less than the 8.7% this year.

Even so, there are fears it will have an impact on an upcoming vote about health insurance reform.

It was hoped the new plan would reduce premiums.

Today, outpatient treatment is paid for by insurance companies, but inpatient services are partly paid by the canton.

The idea was to spread the costs more evenly. But now some analysis suggests this would have an opposite effect due to the aging population as more will need inpatient care. 

The reform was first put forward in 2009 by the government, which still backs it. They say it simply has to succeed. But another rise could lead to a no vote. 

Voters will decide on November 24th.

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