Figures published in 2017 show that only 37% of Swiss healthcare costs were covered by basic compulsory health insurance premiums. The remaining cost was covered by the government (20%), accident and social insurance (10%), private complementary health insurance (7%), charity (1%) and out-of-pocket spending by individuals (26%). Infogram Compulsory Swiss health insurance requires policy holders […]
83% of Switzerland’s smokers think non-smokers should pay their tobacco-related health bills
A recent study shows 83% of smokers in Switzerland think non-smokers should continue to cover tobacco-related health costs. Most non-smokers disagree. The survey, done by Innofact AG on behalf of Comparis.ch, finds that 47% of the population smoke, a figure higher than other studies. 36% smoke daily, and 11% occasionally. A Swiss government report puts the percentage […]
Glyphosate – Swiss government rejects ban plan. Plus how to avoid it.
Last week, the Federal Council, Switzerland’s executive, rejected the Green party’s plan to ban the use of the controversial herbicide glyphosate, a compound classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organisation. According to 20 Minutes, the Federal Council thinks glyphosate residues in Switzerland are […]
Life expectancy – Switzerland’s men drop from first place
Last year, Switzerland tied with Iceland for the prize of longest male life expectancy, according to the OECD. In this year’s report, published last Friday, Switzerland slipped into second place alongside Japan. Why? Male life expectancy in Switzerland declined. It moved from 81.1 years to 80.8, a drop of 0.3 years. At the same time […]
Reimbursement in Switzerland for drugs bought abroad could soon be possible
According to the newspaper NZZ am Sonntag, Switzerland’s federal government wants to allow Switzerland’s residents to claim for drugs bought abroad. Prices across the border are generally far lower. As recently as March 2017, the government told insurers that anyone buying medicines abroad would have to pay for them out of their own pockets. Now […]
Health insurance rise in 2018 even higher, according to new calculation
At the end of September the Swiss government announced an average nationwide health premium rise of 4% in 2018. This government calculation is rather narrow. It only looks at the price of standard compulsory insurance, including accident cover, for an adult with a CHF 300 deductible. Price comparison site bonus.ch calculates that this policy configuration […]
Why men in Switzerland die before women
It’s Movember, the season of unlikely moustaches, grown to highlight men’s health. Causes of disease and death are not always clear, however, gender differences in lifestyle and disease offer some clues to lower male life expectancy. Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO) puts male life expectancy at 81.5 years, 3.8 years behind women, who live 85.2 […]
Swiss government says it has a plan to contain healthcare costs
As next year’s health premium bills find their way into Swiss mail or email boxes, the reality of another round of price increases starts to bite. Earlier this week, Switzerland’s Federal Council unveiled 38 measures that will be considered as part of a plan to tackle Switzerland’s rising health costs. A final plan will be presented […]
Call to ban outdoor smoking in one Swiss canton
A politician in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino wants an end to smoking outside in public spaces. In addition, she would like smoke-free areas in outdoor parts of restaurants. Nadia Ghisolfi, a member of the Christian Democratic People’s Party of Switzerland (PDC/CVP) in Ticino, has called for several smoking bans and a change to smoking […]
Toxic substance finds its way into European mattresses
A contaminated batch of a chemical used to make foam mattresses, and other foam-based products, ended up in part of Europe’s foam production line. Chemicals giant BASF said that contaminated batches of toluene diisocyanate (TDI), made between 25 August and 29 September 2017, were supplied to 50 customers from a plant in East Germany. The […]
