Solidarity In Healthcare.pdf

The principle of solidarity in the Swiss healthcare system was established in 1996 with the introduction of compulsory basic health insurance and a financing system based on per capita premiums, ensuring uniform premiums for men and women across age groups, with exceptions for children and young adults, and regional differences. Solidarity exists between the healthy and the sick, young and old, and men and women, as well as between lower and higher earners, with premium reductions funded by progressive taxation. Insurers are legally obliged to accept applicants regardless of health status, and a risk equalization mechanism prevents risk selection. Voluntary supplementary insurance plans differ from compulsory basic insurance, with varying premiums based on individual risk, and insurers can reject applicants with pre-existing conditions. People show solidarity in healthcare because they may one day depend on others' solidarity, and it is driven by self-interest, with upper-income groups also having a vested interest in comprehensive cover. Solidarity existed in the Swiss healthcare system before 1996, but the aim was to create a more systematic and financially sustainable system based on solidarity.