LAMal not clear cantons on June 1

The new constitutional article on health insurance will give too much power to the boxes, are up in the cantons. Refusing to pay more than 8 billion per year without control, they call to vote "no" on 1 June. "To benefit existential, the population must rely on the authorities that it elects not on insurers without democratic legitimacy", criticized Monday to the press the chairman of the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Health (CDS), State Councillor vaudois Pierre-Yves Maillard. On the subject Health: cantons take a stand against the constitutional article on health insurance

Against the interest of policyholders For the CDS, the article submitted to a vote of the people and the cantons is contrary to the interests of policyholders. It would give cash to determine the offer, make it more difficult access to health care, restrict freedom of choice for patients, reduce transparency and increase the danger of risk selection stronger. Opposed to the new article from the outset, the cantons organize their sling for the voting. The plenary meeting of the CDS has ruled without opposition for a "no". Same story in the committees of conference of the directors of Finance (CDF) and Social Affairs (SADC). And according to Pierre-Yves Maillard, the conference of cantonal governments should follow next week. Billions paid without control The introduction of a tier system of funding remains in the throat cantons. In the future, the benefits should be handled by only one paying agent in principle insurers disease. "The cantons will be reduced to the role of collectors," denounced the Waldensian of Health. They pay eight or ten billion francs per year to private companies without means to control how the money is managed. A stumbling block to Cantonal Ministers of Finance. This is an unacceptable breach the principle that "he who pays, decides," said the president of the CDF the Solothurner Christian Wanner. Freedom of contract The cantons contested the argument made by some proponents of the new article that nothing will change on the merits. A "yes" clearly opens the door to the lifting of the obligation of funds to work with all care providers. "This article was prepared for it", according to Pierre-Yves Maillard. Allow insurers to choose doctors and hospitals in which they reimburse care is contrary to efforts cantonal planning needs. This would mean a more difficult access to benefits for patients. And district officials to denounce a loss of influence of government, which alone have a democratic legitimacy. Unlike an insurer, "a health minister who would handle that economic concerns without taking into account the needs of patients run the risk of not being re-elected," said State Councillor Waldenses.