I pay approximately $300 every month on health insurance that I have never once in my life been able to claim on because the insurer only covers costs once I have already spent 2'500 francs in a year. Ok for me, healthy with a decent income; an absolute horror story for someone on a lower income who might have chronic health problems; someone in their old age; someone in one of the cantons where premiums are randomly higher and where the subsidies don't go anywhere near far enough
Almost any serious issue would mean going to a public hospital, covered by tax payer funds, who would bill me for a part of the treatment that even if I sent them it on, the insurer would still wind up essentially subsidised by the cantonal government because they know they can't trust the insurer to cover the full treatment costs for all patients.
The health insurers are, of course, not allowed to make a profit out of selling basic insurance policies, but are allowed to make a benefit - theoretically to cover any unforseen emergencies or pandemics. Curiously, Covid did not actually count as such a pandemic, and the insurers were at no point required to dig into their reserves while the state wound up coverng the full cost of testing, treatment and vaccines.
The Swiss system might be less out and out absurd than the US one, but it isn't a coincidence that it is the one European country where the fundamental nature of the way the system is run is a mainstream debate. It is the most expensive European system by far, and is only kept above water because the federal and cantonal governments spend so much of their time stepping in to to cover the deficiencies of the insurers. In all honesty, it's not an example for anyone.
Okay, point taken. What's your take on the German healthcare system, though?
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