Author Description

This study describes and compares the Dutch and the Swiss health care system, both of which rely on the concept of regulated competition in the health insurance market. The study pinpoints similarities and differences, highlights those elements that have proved to be successful in the past, and draws some policy relevant conclusions. The report consists of three parts. Part I provides an overview of the Swiss and the Dutch health care systems and recent reforms, and presents a quantitative comparison based on the most recent data by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Part II contains a more detailed comparison of selected elements of the two systems, including the enforcement of mandatory health insurance, the basic benefit package in mandatory health insurance, the market for basic health insurance, premium differences, mobility of consumers, the risk equalization scheme, cost sharing of consumers, managed care models, quality of care, contracting, cross-border service provision, and prevention. Part III provides a summary and the main conclusions regarding health policy. The main characteristics of long term care in Switzerland are outlined in the appendix.