Plan to reduce health premiums for 26 to 35 year-olds rejected by cabinet

20 Minutes.

A government commission has been developing a package of changes to Switzerland’s compulsory basic health insurance for the last five years. The group recently agreed on changes that would reduce the premiums paid by younger adults, who consume less health resource, and reduce the amount children pay. Part of this plan, which the commission agreed on by a margin of only one vote, involves creating a new 26-35 age category of people, who would pay less. The result would leave those over 35 paying more.

While the Federal Council, Switzerland’s executive or cabinet, supported the portion of the plan calling for higher premium discounts for the children of struggling families, it rejected the creation of a new price category for those aged 26 to 35, saying that the youngest should continue to support older members of society.

The plan, which was born from parliamentary initiatives started by Stéphane Rossini, from the Socialist Party (VS), and Ruth Humbel, from the PDC (AG), will be looked at next by the National Council, Switzerland’s parliament, during the winter. Even if it receives sufficient support there, it would not come into effect before 2018.

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