National Council does not want a report on unsolicited advertising calls
The National Council does not currently see any need for action regarding unsolicited advertising calls from health insurance companies. It therefore does not wish to instruct the Federal Council to review the effect of self-regulation by health insurance companies.
The National Council narrowly rejected a postulate by Prisca Birrer-Heimo (SP/LU) by 97 votes to 88 with 4 abstentions.
The Health Insurance Supervision Act, which provides for self-regulation of health insurance companies with regard to telephone advertising, has been in force since the beginning of the year. However, Birrer-Heimo, President of the Foundation for Consumer Protection (SKS), found that there were justified doubts about the functioning of self-regulation.
Such self-regulation was already in force from June 2011 to the beginning of 2014, but the Alliance of Consumer Protection Organizations still received several thousand complaints a year, said Birrer-Heimo. The effect of the measures must be examined so that further steps can be taken if necessary.
The Federal Council also spoke out in favor of the postulate. However, Health Minister Alain Berset pointed out that a certain transitional period was necessary. Only in two or three years' time would it be possible to take stock.
The postulate was opposed by the right. Sebastian Frehner (SVP/BS) argued that it was wrong to go over the books now. The new Health Insurance Supervision Act, in which self-regulation was anchored, had not been in force for long. Moreover, it was a typical case of self-regulation, as is often the case in Switzerland. (SDA)
