"In 1991, the Federal Council proposed a new Federal Health Insurance Law (KVG/LAMal) with three main aims (Federal Council, 1991): (1) to strengthen solidarity by introducing universal coverage and ensuring that people with low incomes receive subsidies for purchasing insurance; (2) to contain the growing costs of the health system by a host of measures targeting both the demand and the supply side; and (3) to expand the benefits basket and ensure high standards of health service provision. By Swiss standards, this law completed the legislative process relatively quickly: it was passed by Parliament in March 1994 and accepted in…

"Individual patient rights are enshrined in a range of cantonal laws and federal legislation, and they are included in private law, public law and penal law. This fragmented regulation contributes to considerable intransparency of patient rights and is perceived to be a barrier to increasing the mobility of patients, as it has resulted in legal uncertainty concerning the applicable law (cantonal state liability law versus federal private law) (FOPH, 2015g)."Enshrined in a variety of cantonal and federal laws, patients have the right to:"• choose their physician and hospital freely (although restrictions may apply depending on the insurance plan); "• receive…

"The MHI [Mandatory Health Insurance] system as outlined by KVG/LAMal is – at least to a certain extent – based on the concept of regulated competition (Enthoven, 1988). MHI companies compete in a highly regulated market by offering different MHI policies for a standard benefits package (section 3.3.1), which all residents have to purchase. MHI companies are not allowed to turn down applications from persons who want to purchase insurance and they may not make profits (nor losses) from providing MHI. Excess earnings have to be reinvested in the company and must benefit the insured."Resources are raised not only through…