Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

Health Care Abroad: Switzerland Lyrics by The New York Times

J-Term 9th Grade 2014

2009

Timothy Stoltzfus Jost is a law professor at Washington and Lee University and frequently writes on comparative health care policy. His work includes an examination of insurance coverage in Switzerland and a comparison of the Swiss and Dutch systems. He spoke to the freelance writer Anne Underwood.
Q-Timothy Stoltzfus Jost
A- Anne Underwood
Q.
The Swiss health care system relies on public-private approaches that have been recommended as models for the United States. What are the similarities?
BY THE NUMBERS
Switzerland
•
Life expectancy: 82
•
Infant mortality: 4 per 1,000 live births
•
Health spending as a percentage of GDP: 11.3
•
Percentage of health spending that is private: 40
•
Doctors per 10,000 people: 40
Source: World Health Organization. U.S. statistics.
A.
In 1996, Switzerland instituted an individual mandate by which people are legally required to purchase health insurance in a competitive market. People buy coverage from private insurers, and the government provides subsidies for those who can’t afford coverage. About a third of the population receives subsidies.
Q.
Is there an employer mandate, too?
A.
No, it’s an individual mandate. Group health insurance does not exist in Switzerland.
Q.
What is your biggest criticism of the Swiss system?
A.
It hasn’t done well at controlling costs. Switzerland is second only to the United States in the percent of G.D.P. spent on health care. It’s also second to the United States in the rate of health care inflation. Probably the most important reason is that Switzerland is a wealthy nation, and wealthy nations spend more on medical care. But a particular problem is that the Swiss use more health care resources than even we do in the United States, with more doctors, hospitalizations and certain high-tech procedures.
Q.
What is the most important lesson Americans should learn from the Swiss system?
A.
You can achieve universal coverage through an individual mandate, coupled with subsidies for people who can’t afford health insurance. But it’s not going to get you cost control unless you enact further measures.
Credits
The New York Times

The New York Times

About “Health Care Abroad: Switzerland” by The New York Times

Read the complete lyrics to "Health Care Abroad: Switzerland" by The New York Times from the album "J-Term 9th Grade 2014" in 2009. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, News .

"Health Care Abroad: Switzerland" is performed by The New York Times. from the album "J-Term 9th Grade 2014" in 2009 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Health Care Abroad: Switzerland", explore more songs by The New York Times using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for The New York Times · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Health Care Abroad: Switzerland" is credited to The New York Times. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Health Care Abroad: Switzerland" appears on "J-Term 9th Grade 2014" in 2009.

Visit the The New York Times artist page at /artist/the-new-york-times for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.