More premium discounts: the Council of States gives in to the premium dispute

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The Council of States is looking for a compromise in extending premium discounts. On Tuesday, he discussed a counter-proposal to the SP’s initiative for waiver of premiums.

He agrees with the requirements set by the cantons, how much money they must in any case spend for the premium discount. But the States Council wants to go less far than the Bundesrat and the National Council.

The small chamber supported a proposal by the Health and Social Security Commission (SGK) by a vote of 26 to 16. During the winter session, the Council of States refused to comment on the matter.

The center party in particular turned around: only two of the party’s 14 members in the Council of States voted against participation – along with the representatives of the SVP. The FDP was divided on this.

The National Council would like to be the most generous

The Commission’s proposal stipulates that the cantons must now use a minimum amount of 3.5 to 7.5 percent of the cost of compulsory basic insurance for the premium reduction. The Bundesrat wants to set the threshold at 5 to 7.5 percent.

With the variant of the SGK, the cantons would incur around CHF 356 million in additional costs. With the Bundesrat’s proposal, that would be CHF 493 million. The National Council wants to spend more than two billion Swiss francs from the federal government and the cantons.

Concerns of Treasury Directors

Obwalden center member Erich Ettlin warned that without a counterproposal, the initiative would be more likely to be accepted. But that would not be financially viable.

Hannes Germann (SVP/SH), on the other hand, argued in favor of not even discussing a counter-proposal. Nothing has changed since the small chamber’s first decision. The concerns of the cantonal financial directors are great. Higher contributions to premium cuts ended incentives to save and should continue to fuel cost growth.

Hans Stöckli (SP/BE), on the other hand, recalled that the premium cuts had been introduced to offset the negative effects of the premiums per capita. It would be shameful if the cantons want to evade their responsibility here. Ten of them have reduced their contribution in recent years.

Big differences between cantons

Health Minister Alain Berset also said that the current situation does not correspond to what was decided in 2008 in the context of the financial settlement. The original idea was that the federal government and the cantons each contribute about half of the premium reductions. But in one canton the federal share is currently 85 percent, in another 70 percent. If there is no counter-proposal, there will be a lack of arguments in the voting campaign.

The SP premium deduction requires policyholders to spend a maximum of ten percent of their disposable income on health care premiums. If this limit is exceeded, the Confederation and the cantons would have to intervene with premium cuts – the Confederation at least two-thirds. The Council of States has not yet dealt with the initiative itself.

Since the two chambers do not agree, the National Council must now discuss the counter-proposal again. (SDA/lha)

Source:Blick