The Swiss’ universal health care system doesn’t have employer-sponsored or government-run insurance programs. Swiss citizens buy insurance themselves and have the choice of nearly 100 different private insurance companies; the government defines the minimum benefit package that qualifies for the individual mandate. Health care for the poor is subsidized on a graduated basis with the goal of preventing individuals from spending more than 10% of their income on insurance. More than 99% of citizens have health insurance (42% with high-deductible plans), most have the freedom to choose their doctor, and waiting times are nearly as low as in the U.S. An American adaptation of the Swiss system would allow insurers to come up with more innovative plan designs, but preventing individuals from spending more than 10% of their income on health care exposes the system to health cost inflation.
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