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To: philv who wrote (15227)	11/9/2004 11:57:34 AM
From: Elroy Jetson	Respond to of 116555

Healthcare in the industrialized world is costly and those who don't anticipate these costs force their neighbors to pay for their care. Hardly fair. Your link may provide better insight into the Swiss system. ----------------------------------- Switzerland does not have a centralized health care system. Individual cantons are responsible for determining levels of service and administering and delivering health care services. The private sector also plays a significant role in providing health services. Most hospitals in Switzerland are public institutions that receive public funding. There are also about 100 private clinics that receive little or no public funding. Non-hospital health care facilities include spas, homes for the elderly, institutions for those with addictions or disabilities, convalescent and dietetic clinics, and preventive and psycho-social treatment centres. Home care is also an important component of the Swiss health care system. Hospitals and medical home care services are highly subsidized by the municipalities and cantons. The purchase of health insurance is compulsory for all Swiss citizens. Subsidies are available for those with low incomes. Approximately 70% of the cost of a visit to a physician is covered by insurance and 30% by the patient. Nearly all dental costs are directly paid by individuals. As a result, most Swiss families spend about 10% of their budget on doctors, dentists, health insurance and medicine. The Swiss social welfare system for the poor includes subsidized health care, old age pensions and long-term nursing care. Alternative forms of health care, including acupuncture, homeopathy and Shiatsu massage are popular. People can pay an additional insurance fee to cover these services.