Swiss healthcare costs of 12.2% of GDP are the world’s second highest after the United States where healthcare consumes 17.1% of GDP, according to 2016 figures presented by the Federal Statistical Office on 18 October 2018.
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Switzerland spent CHF 80.5 billion on healthcare in 2016, the latest figures reveal. This comes out at around CHF 9,600 per resident per year across all age groups.
The percentage of GDP spent on healthcare in Switzerland was 5.2% in 1960, rising to 7.7% by 1980, then to 9.8% in 2000, before rising to 12.2% in 2016. Spending in 2016 was higher than in 2015 (11.9%).
In 2016, 27% more was spent per woman than per man, with big differences during child bearing age and after 80.
In addition, the chart above shows the high average cost of caring for those over 85. Beyond this age the average cost rises rapidly to nearly CHF 110,000 per woman and CHF 85,000 per man per year.
Most (65%) of the cost is funded directly from private pockets. The rest is funded out of taxes (29%) and by companies (6%).
More on this:
Federal Statistical Office data (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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