The day of the election has left deep traces in the health lobby: The hospitals and the disability organizations have lost numerous representatives in the national Council. However, they will remain together with the Doctors and the patients organizations, the most powerful lobby groups in the health policy . The representatives of the pharmaceutical and health insurance companies were cut in half on election day, even. This results in an updated analysis of a study from last summer on the balance of forces in the Swiss health policy.
The study analyzed the interest of connections of all the members of the last legislature. The lobby group with the most representatives before the elections were the disability organisations with 19 national councils, followed by the hospitals and the patients organizations, the old – age and nursing homes, and Physicians.
The pharmaceutical and health insurance companies were represented by 9 delegates in the national Council are also good. Their strength was not is greater than their number might suggest, because their representatives have a majority in the Social and health Commission. The health be prepared for political transactions. The health insurance companies were with 7 representatives of the 25 members of the Commission, the most powerful Lobby, followed by the hospitals and the Pharma with the 6 national councils.
Pharma loses representatives
The elections but also in the pharmaceutical and health insurance companies important outlets. In the Grisons SVP-Nationalrat Heinz Brand, President of the health insurance Association Santésuisse, was voted out of office. If he is replaced, is currently unclear. He was elected until the next annual General meeting, says the Association.
Similarly, the Basel SVP national councillor Sebastian Frehner was voted out of office. He sat on the Advisory Board of the health insurer Groupe Mutuel, and in the “community of interest in biomedical research and Innovation” of the pharmaceutical industry . The Zug FDP national councillor Bruno Pezzatti sass in these two bodies and not more entered. Likewise, is no longer a choice of the Basler SP status-health politician, Silvia Schenker, member of the Board of Directors of the University hospital of Basel.
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In the case of the losses on stakeholders, it is likely to remain, however. The interest groups will try in the next few months, to replace the retiring or defeated people.
The study has investigated also, why have reforms in the Swiss health policy is particularly difficult. Under the three reform plans, which have been introduced since the introduction of the health insurance act of 1996, always looked for the introduction of freedom of contract, the Reform of the risk equalisation and uniform funding. Was conducted by the consulting office Polynomics on behalf of the Bonny Foundation for freedom.
cantons have a lot of influence
From the examples in the last 20 years, the study concludes that the cantons have a special power role position in health policy. You are able to bring a reform project in the early Fail. The second one especially influential group of Doctors are rich, according to the study, especially when their interests coincide with those of the patient or, at least, this impression is. So, whoever wants to implement reforms in the health sector, must have the cantons and the Doctors on his side, or at least to convince that Reform is harming.
The authors call for an independent body, which shows the consequences of reform projects for the Affected. National Council and Council of States have approved such authority three years ago, but so far the Federal Council has not implemented this.
The authors also see further opportunities to reform political majority capable of: on the one hand, a policy against business for the most affected interest group, on the other hand, the partial introduction of a Reform by means of on a territory of limited pilot projects or a Light Version of the project.
Created: 04.11.2019, 21:58 PM
