Coping with the corona pandemic – cantons want money from the federal government for their hospitals – News


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Unusual operations, more staff because of Corona: who should pay? Confederation or cantons? The discussion continues.

The pandemic is not over yet and it is too early for a final assessment. Nevertheless, the cantonal health directors (GDK) analyzed the situation in the hospitals independently of the current pandemic situation.

How has health care worked during the pandemic? Where will improvements be needed in the future? In its analysis, the GDK now comes to the conclusion that the federal government should contribute more financially.

Corona numbers are rising again


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The number of corona cases is currently rising sharply again: on Monday, the BAG reported 69,147 new cases that had tested positive for corona since Friday. The 7-day average is 28 percent higher than a week ago, which corresponds to a doubling of the number of cases every 19 days.

And the hospital occupancy due to Corona is also increasing again: Currently, an average of 85 people are admitted to a hospital because of Corona every day. With 1,687 people currently being treated in a hospital for Covid-19, that is 18 percent more than a week ago. 139 of them are being treated in an intensive care unit. Every day, 7 people die from Covid-19 in Switzerland.

In view of the currently increasing number of corona cases, GDK President Lukas Engelberger speaks of “uncertainty”. The question is whether the high number of cases will also increase the burden in the hospitals – because that is what politics has always been based on when prescribing measures.

However, the Federal Council sees the cantons as responsible. At the end of 2021, the Council of States also rejected four professional initiatives calling for federal funds to fill the financial gaps in the hospitals.

Financing question soon back on the table

Nevertheless, the Basel Health Director and GDK President Lukas Engelberger does not give up, even if he admits that the matter has so far been unsuccessful: “I assume that the question will be discussed again – for example in the revision of the Epidemics Act.”

The number of new infections is increasing

Specifically, the GDK would like the legal basis to be adjusted: If the federal government makes specifications for additional hospital capacities during the crisis – additional space, more beds and more specialist staff – then the federal government should also contribute financially to the costs incurred as a result.

Billion deficit at the hospitals

The cantons also want federal money for losses. In this way, the income that is missing in the hospital registers because operations had to be canceled should be replaced. “The federal government is responsible for the damage that resulted from the treatment ban in spring 2020,” says Engelberger with conviction.

The federal government is responsible for the damage caused by the treatment ban.

In the first year of the pandemic, the hospitals pointed out their financial burden. According to a study from 2021, the total financial gap is up to 1.5 billion francs.

When asked by Radio SRF, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) confirmed the previous position on both points: the federal government has no legal basis for sharing these costs.

The cantons will therefore have to be patient.

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