Informal translation into English*:Legal mandate / basis:
Informal translation into English*: Legal mandate / basis Health Promotion Switzerland has a legal mandate and a recurrent budget according to Article 19 and 20 of the 'new' sickness insurance law from 1994. Enacted in 1996, this law requires sickness insurance companies and the Swiss Cantons to jointly have an institution providing health-promoting activities. The Swiss foundation 'Health Promotion Switzerland' implements this on behalf of the Swiss Confederation, Cantons and insurance companies. Article 19: Promoting the prevention of diseases
1. The insurance companies promote the prevention of diseases. 2. Jointly with the Swiss Cantons they have an institution which initiates, coordinates and evaluates measures for the promotion of health and prevention of diseases. Should this institution not be founded, the Federal level will do so. 3. The governing body of the institution comprises of representatives of: insurance companies, Cantons, SUVA (i.e. Swiss accident insurers), the Federal government, associations of medical doctors, the sciences, as well as of the technical associations in the field of disease prevention. Article 20: Financing, Auditing 1. According to this Act, an annual contribution for general disease prevention is collected from each mandatory insured person. 2. The Department (of Internal Affairs) defines on request of the institution the amount of this fee. It reports back to the responsible Commissions of the Councils of the Swiss Confederation about the use of these means. 3. It acts as auditing body for the activities of the institution. Budgets, bills, and accountability reports have to be provided to the Federal Office for approval.
* This is an informal translation by Ursel Broesskamp-Stone, Health Promotion Switzerland, only! This version is NOT legally approved by the Swiss government. It must NOT be quoted in any ways. If any reference to the Swiss law is being made, you MUST refer to the formally APPROVED VERSION IN FRENCH (above), or to those in German or Italian (see website)! Thank you for your understanding.