National Council finds compromise
Solution in the struggle for corona test costs
Parliament is divided on who should bear the cost of testing for the coronavirus from next year. The National Council wants the federal government to continue to pay for the tests, but only until the end of March 2023.
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The National Council wants the federal government to continue to pay for the tests, but only until the end of March 2023.
The financing and organization of the corona tests are regulated in the Covid 19 law – but only until the end of the year. The Federal Council wants to extend the legal basis for the tests and other measures. He had requested that from 2023 the cantons should bear these costs and no longer the federal government.
The cantons opposed this in the consultation. On Monday, the National Council decided on a way towards the exit, which Health Minister Alain Berset (50) also found acceptable: The test regime is to remain in place until the end of March next year, but will then be completely eliminated.
The Council of States should now follow suit
The Council rejected a minority motion by the Greens to stick to the original decision and have the federal government pay for the tests until the end of June 2024. The SVP and FDP, who wanted to settle the difference with the Council of States and no longer wanted to bear the test costs in the new year, were also defeated.
The Council of States decided a week ago that from 2023 the federal government would only pay for the tests in a special situation in accordance with the Epidemics Act, but not in the normal situation currently in force. He decided this at the request of a minority and against the strong recommendation of Health Minister Berset. It’s now the small chamber’s turn again.
Time is running out
The template should be cleaned up in the current session and then declared urgent. It is to come into force as early as January 1, 2023 and apply until mid-2024, so that measures to combat the corona virus can be taken during the current and coming winter, if necessary. (SDA)