[jeofken]

When I moved from a country with public, so called “free” healthcare (Sweden) to one with private health care (CH) where I’m a customer rather than a “user”, I was blown away. I can see a doctor tomorrow, I can select which language (maybe higher chance to find a Swedish-speaking doctor here ngl), there are not the crazy bureaucracy and endless hours waiting in a phone queue, and I’m welcomed to my doctors office with a cup of coffee. Being a customer rather than a nuisance is great! It’s like upgrading from waiting in line for a Trabant to getting a Volvo! My health insurance here is also cheaper than the one I paid in Sweden (technically tax to the Region/Län).

[soco]

Let's not call the Swiss healthcare "private" or the US Americans will get the wrong impression. Yes it's offered by private companies but here is where the "private" stops - it's mandatory for starters, no free market as the very strict rules they must follow are written in law, primes and services are also controlled by the state... As for the experience, without knowing the Swedish system I can tell that the phone queues we have them too (depending on which provider you got, you might get usable online support), and the family doctor can be an ass just as well.

[TMWNN]

>Let's not call the Swiss healthcare "private" or the US Americans will get the wrong impression.

As others have told you, you are wrong. The Swiss system is almost identical to that of the US post-Obamacare, albeit with 100% mandatory enrollment (as in, the local canton picks a plan and sends you the bill) as opposed to the US's system in which a tax penalty is levied.

>no free market as the very strict rules they must follow are written in law, primes and services are also controlled by the state

Just where do you think the prices for plans on the various US states' exchanges come from? Out of thin air? Yes, insurance companies have some leeway, but not as much as you think.

[misja111]

I'm living in Swiss but originally from the Netherlands. What you in CH call phone queues wouldn't even be noticed in other countries in the EU. Waiting lists? Same story. In NL it can take many months or even a year before you can be seen by a specialist. Maybe that specialist needs an X-ray taken? Make another appointment with the radiologist and start waiting again.

Often I get the feeling here that people in CH don't realize how good they have it ..

[rayiner]

The insurance is private, the healthcare providers are private. Health insurance is mandatory. That pretty much describes Obamacare, except the Swiss will sue you for not having the mandatory health insurance.

[jeofken]

In CH I can go to a different doctor if I don’t like one. They run their own businesses. It’s their incentive to take me. It’s amazing!!! Totally normal to everyone from here.

I just go on OneDoc and select one according to my preferences. Unbelievable!! I use CSS in Wallis and I can email and call them and get a reply very fast. I have the direct phone number of my guy at the insurance office. Maybe a perk of village living. To them I’m a client rather than an annoyance, unlike with Försäkringskassan in SE. If I wasn’t satisfied, I could select another one. Not quite possible in a socialist health care system.

[sneak]

It turns out that without competition there is zero incentive whatsoever to be efficient with resources. Who cares, it’s not your money!

It’s simple game theory. When you’re the only game in town, you can charge as much as you want, and provide as little service as you wish.

[rqtwteye]

Come to the US and you will not be treated as customer but as a sucker.

[toast0]

Most of the payment for healthcare (in the US) comes from insurance companies and government health coverage. It's no surprise that the providers pay more attention to those agencies than the patients.

If you want to be treated as a customer, you can use one of the concierge services, although paying for that in addition to insurance would make me feel like a sucker, too.

[jeofken]

Isn’t this whole thing about Americans health insurance being tied to their jobs a side effect of some crazy WW2 regulation? Not sure how it works over there