A recent press release by Stop Suicide, an organisation for the prevention of youth suicide, highlights the vulnerability of young people in Switzerland. In 2015, 2.5 times as many people aged under 30 died from suicide as from car accidents. In addition, it is the first time since 2011 that the rate has risen. In […]
Swiss government warns of cancerous palm oil
Today, the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) warned that the colouring substance Scarlet Red (Sudan IV) had been discovered in palm oil. The banned substance was discovered by FSVO staff in Vaud. The synthetic substance can metabolize into carcinogenic amines after it has been ingested. Amines are used to make some dyes. […]
Swiss fact: health insurance premiums cover only 37% of Swiss healthcare costs
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 […]
