Swiss Health Minister proposes six measures to control costs

Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider has announced six new measures aimed at controlling rising healthcare costs following the fifth round table on the subject. The proposals were developed in collaboration with insurers, hospitals, and authorities.

Key initiatives include increasing price transparency for medical devices and encouraging outpatient care, which is more cost-effective than inpatient services. To support this transition, two organizations will be commissioned to conduct large-scale evaluations of outpatient tariffs, allowing cantons to monitor price trends as patients move from stationary to ambulatory care.

While the specific potential for savings has not been quantified, Baume-Schneider stated that these pragmatic measures do not jeopardize patient safety or service quality. She noted that if effective, the savings from these new decisions could exceed those from the initial twelve measures previously established. The minister also acknowledged ongoing disagreements among stakeholders regarding other issues, such as specialist salaries.