Parliament has green-lighted renewed limits on the number of healthcare specialists who may operate in the country. For three years starting July 1 new medical practice licenses will be restricted in some regions and costs reigned in.
The only exception to the law are doctors who sought continuing education in Switzerland during a period of at least three years, a clause which was hotly debated between the Senate and the House of Representatives. Many parliamentarians argued an education clause was needed to allow native Swiss doctors with hospital experience to develop their careers into private practice.
In addition only medical specialists are affected by the change and not chemists, general practitioners, pediatricians or physicians.
Because Switzerland has a high percentage of foreign medical professionals – with one in four practising doctors receiving their diplomas from a foreign university – the new law was known to some as the «home protection clause». Cabinet and some members of the Senate had argued that putting more limits in place would hurt the country’s «free movement of people» agreement with the European Union.
Since the last limits on medical specialists were lifted at the end of 2011, cantons Zurich, Geneva and Ticino have been especially overrun with new medical practices. The influx drove up costs and concentrated new practices in urban areas, while rural Switzerland tends to lack health care specialists.
According to the health insurance association, opening a new practice triggers annual costs to the health care system of up to SFr500,000 ($536,000) on average per doctor, due in part to the fact that more patients visit the doctor when a new practice is opened.
The new limits will be brought up in parliament for a final time on Friday in a largely procedural vote which is expected to pass.