Swiss Miss

Voters in Switzerland have rejected plans for a single means-tested health insurance system, aimed at reducing the high cost of premiums.
Final results showed 71% of voters in Sunday's referendum opposed the reform.

Under Swiss law, everyone must have a health insurance policy, and there are 87 different companies to choose from, each offering a variety of policies.

Premiums, which take no account of an individual's income, have risen on average by 2.4% annually since 1990.

2.4%? That is amazing.

the Swiss government and centre-right parties opposed the reform plans, saying a single fund would be cumbersome and would not keep the cost of premiums down

So, a single payor system is NOT more efficient?

Do tell.

A recent OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and World Health Organization report showed that the Swiss spend 11.5% of their gross domestic product on health, compared with an average 8.8% in other OECD countries.

11.5% of GDP? Egads!!

Many people find it difficult to get an insurance company to take them on at all, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes reports from Bern.

Cherry picking in Switzerland? Say it ain't so.

It called for a merger of the existing 87 health insurance companies, and would replace their policies with one premium, calculated on a wealth and income basis.

Redistribution according to wealth. Sound like Socialism.

In recent years proposals to change the way hospitals are run and to promote more generic drugs have also failed.

Resistance to generic meds. Sounds familiar.