Executive Summary

The Federal Department of the Interior (FDI) is opening a consultation on the revision of the Health Insurance Ordinance (HIO). The amendments regulate data exchange between cantons and insurers as well as the procedure for unreachable insured persons. The deadline for submissions is 29 June 2026.

Persons

  • Federal Department of the Interior (FDI)

Topics

  • Health insurance law
  • Data exchange
  • Risk equalization
  • Administrative procedures

Clarus Lead

The FDI is initiating a consultation procedure to adapt the HIO in order to make the implementation of the Health Insurance Act (HIA) revision operationalisable. Two central regulatory areas are in focus: first, the standardization of data exchange between cantons and insurers through a new delegation norm to the FDI; second, the establishment of a clear procedure for handling unreachable insured persons. The consultation provides interest groups, cantons, and the insurance industry until the end of June to submit feedback.

Detailed Summary

The present ordinance revision specifies the statutory provisions of the HIA revision at the ordinance level. It creates the necessary implementing provisions for two core processes of health insurance administration: structured data exchange between cantonal authorities and insurers as well as risk equalization between insurers.

An essential point is the planned delegation norm, which authorizes the FDI to establish a uniform procedure for data exchange. This is intended to reduce inconsistencies between cantons and increase the efficiency of data flows. In parallel, regulations for the suspension and administration of unreachable insured persons are being introduced – a practical problem that previously had no standardized solution.

The consultation period of more than three months (20 March to 29 June 2026) enables broad consultation of all relevant stakeholders.

Key Points

  • The HIO revision creates the operational foundations for the HIA legislative revision
  • Standardization of data exchange between cantons and insurers through FDI delegation norm
  • New procedure for managing unreachable insured persons
  • Consultation period: 20 March to 29 June 2026

Critical Questions

  1. Data Quality & Standardization: What technical and organizational minimum standards will the FDI implementing provisions establish for data exchange, and how will compatibility between cantonal and private systems be ensured?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: How will it be ensured that the delegation norm to the FDI does not lead to preferential treatment of certain insurer groups or cantons, and what control mechanisms are provided?

  3. Legal Certainty for Insured Persons: What are the consequences of suspension for unreachable insured persons – does insurance coverage remain in place, and are there reinstatement procedures?

  4. Implementation Risks: How is the transition period handled for cantons and insurers that need to adapt their IT systems, and what sanctions apply for non-compliance?

  5. Transparency of the Procedure: Will the consultation responses received be made public, and how will critical feedback be incorporated into the final ordinance?

  6. Data Protection: What additional data protection safeguards accompany the expanded data exchange, particularly with regard to disclosure to third parties?

Source Directory

Primary Source: Consultation Notice: Revision of the Health Insurance Ordinance (HIO) – Federal Department of the Interior, 20 March 2026

Verification Status: ✓ 20 March 2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Checking: 20 March 2026