Switzerland Health Care System

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SWITZERLAND HEALTH CARE SYSTEM Switzerland is a country based on a federal system. It has a population of 7,785 million people and an area of 41,000 square kilometers. German, French, Italian and Rumantsch are all official languages in Switzerland. From an administrative point of view there are 26 cantons. These cantons are responsible for health care and everything related, including subsidies for hospitals, nursing homes and home care institutions. The cantons have an agreement that seeks to standardize regulations across the country. Even though the cantons are responsible for the implementation, health insurance is regulated by the government, more specifically by the Federal Health Insurance Act. The organization of the Switzerland health care system The Swiss health care system is a highly regulated system made up of public, subsidized private and private institutions. It is a system that relies on private companies to provide health insurance, on individuals to provide financing for it and on a mix of public, subsidized and private hospitals, other health care institutions and physicians that provide services. The federal and cantonal authorities get involved when the private sector cannot meet its obligations and this intervention has been increasing in the past decades, meaning growth of public health care. It is mandatory for all people to purchase basic health insurance, either after three months of living in the country or at birth. Insurance has to be purchased by each individual, including dependents and is not paid by employers. Insured individuals have the choice of selecting from competing insurance companies that are authorized by the Federal Act. Compulsory health insurance covers medical treatment and hospitalization but the insured must pay a deductible ranging from 300 to 2500 Swiss Francs. The premiums vary depending on the
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