Proposal on single health insurance scheme rejected in Swiss referendum

Swiss voters rejected a proposal to introduce a single health insurance scheme nationwide in a referendum on Sunday.

The proposal, launched by Swiss center-left political parties, trade unions and patients pressure groups, was intended to introduce a single health insurance institution to stem the cost of premiums.

Health insurance coverage is mandatory for all residents in this central European country. Under the current system, there are over 60 private health insurance companies to offer basic coverage.

These insurers must not aim to make a profit but legally obliged to offer everyone an access to a quality health services.

The premiums vary a bit among different clients, but the key factors to determine the premium were not the income level of clients, but included the age, the insurance company and the place of residence.

People who want more than basic coverage can also take supplemental insurance.

In Sunday's vote, an overwhelming majority of Swiss cantons came against the proposal to replace the private insurance firms with a single public insurer.

Meanwhile, statistics from Swiss national news agency ATS showed that the majority of the Swiss voters also said No to the move, with 61.8 percent having voted against the proposal and 38.2 percent in favor. The turnout rate was 47.2 percent.

The supporters claimed that the proposal could reduce the rising health costs and ensure an efficient and transparent health care system, while the opponents said that it was not a right solution, arguing that the initiative would limit the competition and lead to additional costs.

Sunday's vote was reportedly the third time in the past more than a decade for the left political parties in Switzerland to make an try to reform the Swiss health care insurance system, with the previous two votes held respectively in 2003 and 2007.

The two previous proposals, in an effort to link the premiums to the income of an insurance taker either through a public or a single insurance company, have both been dismissed by Swiss citizens.

Another issue on Sunday's nationwide ballot was to create a level playing field in the Value Added Tax (VAT) for restaurants and take-aways, which was turned down by around 71.5 percent of voters, and was opposed by all Swiss cantons.

It was introduced that the VAT rate for food and drink served in restaurants -- fixed at 8 percent -- was higher than that of those sold in take-aways at around 2.5 percent.

Supporters for the proposal which was backed by the restaurant and hotel association claimed that the take-aways benefit from the lower level of taxation, and regarded the proposal as a solution to help the restaurant business out of struggling situations, but the opponents, including the Swiss arthorities, insisted it was a wrong cure.

Besides the above two issues, votes on a wide range of issues were held on Sunday in many cantons and communes across the country.

Take Geneva as an example, 63 percent of voters in Geneva on Sunday rejected the plan to construct a new 1.5-km-long road tunnel under the Geneva lake close to the city's renowned resort the Jet d'Eau fountain, a proposal which was aimed at relieving the heavy traffic congestion on the Mont Blanc Bridge which links to the city center of Geneva. Enditem