Swiss vote rejects single health insurer plan

BERN, Switzerland—Swiss voters have overwhelmingly rejected a proposal for a single health insurer.

In the March 11 ballot, 71% of voters were against the proposal to establish one state-run insurer to replace the 87 that now write the coverage.

Voting against the proposal was heaviest in the German-speaking part of the country with opposition lighter in the French and Italian-speaking regions.

The initiative made it onto the ballot after the left-leaning Mouvement Populaire des Familles collected 110,000 signatures to force the vote. The group claimed the current system is too costly and wanted it replaced by a single insurer that would base premiums on wealth and income.

Health insurance is mandatory for Swiss residents.