Natalie Rickli thinks aloud about doing away with mandatory health insurance

When the Federal Council elections take place on December 7, Alain Berset will no longer be eligible. On June 21 of this year, he announced his resignation. For this reason, Switzerland will have a new Minister of Health from January 1, 2024.

And precisely because of the departure of SP magistrate Berset, there is now someone around the corner who is politically on the other side: the former national councilor and current government councilor of the SVP in Zurich, Natalie Rickli. She advocates a restart of health care premiums.

In an interview with the “Sonntags Zeitung”, Zurich’s health director says that the current health insurance law should be reconsidered. The system introduced nearly thirty years ago “failed,” says Rickli.

Because in 1994 the approach was as follows: introduce a solidarity insurance and ensure good care for everyone. This care is still excellent today, Rickli points out. After all, Switzerland spends about 90 billion francs a year on its healthcare system. But: “Because of the steadily rising premiums, more and more people are being levied.” From their point of view, a system that causes problems for a large proportion of medium-sized companies cannot be described as solidarity.

What are Natalie Rickli’s specific requirements? She expresses herself vaguely and says that she also does not have a ready-made solution yet. Nevertheless, in their view, a fundamental reform is needed. She speaks of a ‘marching stop’ and a ‘fundamental discussion’, in which there should be no taboos. And then the SVP politician, who was on the National Council from 2007 to 2019, goes one step further and says: “In my opinion, even the abolition of compulsory health insurance should be considered.”

Rickli says CHF 1 billion is already available for premium cuts in the canton of Zurich. In an interview early this year with CH Media, which also includes this portal, Rickli said, “I think that should be enough.” If she has her way, the basic insurance should mainly be intended for people with a low income. She says, “You should seriously look into whether it should be mandatory for everyone.” Rickli believes the state should focus more on the needy. “That would be social.”

Back to Berset: Rickli is also asked in the interview whether her radical demand is also critical of the SP Federal Council. She dismisses it and says that firstly she is not concerned with individuals and secondly that she has worked “very well” with Alain Berset.

And yet it is clear to the SVP woman that the new person in charge of the Ministry of Health must take the lead when it comes to reforming the current health insurance system. (ch media / cri)