Since January 1, 2022, Switzerland has implemented a legislative reform making it more challenging for foreign doctors, particularly German and French specialists, to switch to Switzerland and open practices. The reform stipulates that only foreign doctors who have worked for at least three years at a recognized Swiss hospital are allowed to bill through health insurance.
However, this regulation has had unexpected side effects, as seen in the case of German anesthesiologist Michael Preuss, who has practiced in Switzerland for over ten years but does not meet the three-year hospital experience requirement. This means he cannot obtain approval for health insurance billing in another canton unless he works for another three years in a Swiss hospital.
The legislative change was introduced due to concerns about rising costs and the potential inundation of the healthcare system by foreign doctors. However, the extent of the consequences was not adequately considered. Some cantons have criticized the stringent regulation, as it leads to insufficient medical care in primary outpatient services.
The parliament attempted to rectify the situation by presenting a revised version of the law, allowing cantons in primary care to exempt themselves from the three-year rule. However, this does not apply to specialists such as anesthesiologists, potentially causing shortages in specific medical fields. The Solothurn authorities, bound by federal law, claim they are unable to grant exceptions, and it remains uncertain whether the national parliament will make further amendments soon. (Source: NZZ.ch)
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