SP dispute over cost brakes: Center initiative causes problems among comrades

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On June 9, a showdown on health policy will take place: two referenda will be held. The SP’s premium waiver initiative and the center’s cost brake initiative.

The latter is now causing problems among the comrades. In parliament, the majority of the SP faction abstained from voting, but now the party council recommends the yes slogan. “After an extensive discussion with a sharp decision,” SP co-leader Mattea Meyer (36) told Blick.

The result does not suit a group around the SP national councilors Barbara Gysi (59, SG) and Sarah Wyss (35, BS) and the neo-national councilor Islam Alijaj (37, ZH). They recommend the ‘no’ slogan of the SP base. The decision will be made on Saturday at the party congress in Geneva.

“Against waste and profiteering”

The cost containment initiative requires that health care costs evolve in line with the economy and wages in general. If that is not the case, the federal government and the cantons must take measures to slow the increase in costs and stop the explosion of premiums. The center advertises that 6 billion francs can be saved annually on basic insurance, without loss of quality. For example, through lower drug prices, more outpatient rather than inpatient procedures or through an electronic patient file.

Recipes that the SP can also support. From the perspective of the party leadership, the initiative demands that the costs paid by insured persons do not increase more than wage developments, according to the party conference documents. This is also a demand of the SP to protect the purchasing power of the general population.

“Our focus is on solidarity-based financing of health insurance premiums,” co-chair Meyer told Blick. “Nevertheless, there is still a need for action to combat waste and profiteering in healthcare.”

Tactical considerations

But tactical considerations also play a role: if the SP were the only party besides the center to adopt the Yes slogan, it would have considerably more influence in the implementation debate. And it could stick more to its own ideas, for example in the field of prevention or against ‘pseudo-competition’ between health insurers. She also wants to ensure that pharmaceutical companies in Switzerland no longer charge excessively high drug prices. “A yes slogan makes it possible to show what the SP proposes in terms of costs,” the party leadership argues.

Perhaps there is more to it: in exchange for a yes to the cost brake initiative, the SP party leadership is probably hoping for support from the center for the left-wing premium aid initiative. But there is no official deal – and the Center is likely to adopt a clear no slogan at the delegation meeting, which will also take place on Saturday.

Gysi warns of dangers

In any case, SP State Councilor Gysi will fight vigorously for a no to the center initiative: the SP has always clearly opposed cost limitations and automatisms in various areas, she writes in her application.

As a negative example, she points to the debt brake in the federal budget: this has been a nuisance from the start. “It shows how pressure is building up and that reduction and savings plans are certainly not being implemented where we would start,” complains Gysi. The SP has been trying in vain for years to make the debt burden more bearable and to give more room for maneuver in financial policy.

The health politician warns that the initiative focuses one-sidedly on economic development and ignores demographic and medical-technical developments. “This entails great dangers and leads to unilateral austerity measures in the wrong place.” For example, Gysi fears higher deductibles and cost sharing for patients, restrictions on the service catalog or cuts for staff.

Confrontation in Geneva

In Geneva it will be decided which side will prevail. In any case, the SP base is always good for surprises and also throws away recommendations from the party leadership. For example, in 2018 the base put pressure on the SP leaders to hold a referendum against the social investigators. The year before, she refused the request to remove the abolition of the army or the victory of capitalism from the party manifesto.

Neither Gysi nor Meyer dare to predict which side the pendulum will swing. “I think everything is open,” says Gysi. And Meyer: “It will certainly be exciting.”

Source:Blick