How Switzerland delivered health care for all -- and kept its private insurance
Finance Government Health VideoSummary
This video highlights the Swiss health care system, where the success of private insurance and the right to basic universal healthcare are not as opposing concepts as they are perceived in the U.S. The Swiss health care system is market-driven, much like the US, but several key differences are present. Health care is mandatory to purchase for all Swiss people, who can choose between over 60 companies to meet their health care needs. In addition, one’s health care is not tied to employment so unlike the U.S., losing your coverage because you have lost your job is not a possibility. Embracing the concept of social solidarity, the Swiss seem to have created a successful private health care model that other countries could emulate. However, the video notes that the model is not perfect and many Swiss people, particularly the younger generation, are paying too much money for care they simply do not need. The video also ponders the nature of implementing a similar model in the U.S., where forcing people into mandatory actions is often met with hostility and is viewed as an infringement on personal freedoms.