The revision of the Swiss health insurance law (article 64A) excludes an increasing portion of the Swiss population from access to health care, and specifically to medications. From May to August 2006, 84 patients were referred to the University Hospital's primary care outpatient clinic to receive medications. These patients had a low socio-economic position, suffered from chronic diseases (88%) and had a high prevalence of psychiatric diseases (59%). This change in the Swiss insurance law mainly has an impact on the more fragile members of society and threatens the concept of equal access of the whole population to the national health care system.