This week, the price comparison website Comparis published an article containing estimates of health insurance premium rises next year. It expects premiums to rise by an average of 6% in 2025. Despite average premiums rising 8.7% in 2024, some insurance companies will have thin reserves by the the end of the year, forcing them to […]
Swiss health care costs continued to rise in 2022
Data published this week by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) show a 2.5% rise in spending on healthcare in Switzerland in 2022. The increase is below the average rate of 3.2% over the five years before. During 2022, Switzerland spent CHF 91.5 billion on healthcare, which is more than CHF 10,000 per person. Between 2021 […]
Swiss parliament rejects adding dental care to basic insurance
The cost of healthcare and the compulsory insurance residents must pay to fund it continue to rise. In 2022, healthcare spending rose 2.5%. At the same time, dental care is not covered. Politicians from the Green Party would like it included in basic cover. However, parliament voted against the idea this week, reported RTS. The […]
Study shows how Swiss doctors and hospitals overcharge
A new study suggests that doctors and hospitals are overcharging by more than one billion francs every year, reported SRF. Some in the medical profession have questioned the sum, which came from doctoral research done by Larisa Petrov. Petrov is a lawyer and head of legal at the consulting firm Blacklight Analytics. She did the […]
Health care cost brake initiative to go to a vote
This week, a government proposal presented as an alternative to a referendum aimed at limiting healthcare costs was rejected by initiative organisers. This means the question will be put to voters. The initiative, which is supported by the Centre Party, would require actors in the healthcare system to agree on cost-cutting measures if healthcare costs […]
Swiss assisted suicide in UK news after woman takes her own life
This week a high profile case of assisted suicide in Switzerland made the news in the UK. Paola Marra, a UK woman with terminal cancer, who felt she had no choice but to end her life at Dignitas in Switzerland left behind a video message calling on people to help change the law on assisted […]
Recent Swiss fire deaths prompt calls for fire detectors
Across much of Europe, smoke detectors are a legal requirement. In Switzerland, they are not. The recent death of two people in a fire in Pfaffnau in the canton of Luzern has prompted calls to change the rules, reported SRF. On 19 March 2024, shortly after midnight, rescue workers were called to a burning apartment […]
Switzerland falls behind in happiness ranking
This year, Switzerland slipped further in the global happiness ranking and is now in 9th place. The year before it was 8th, and two years earlier it was 4th. The ranking is based on polling across the world. It aims to get beyond narrow measures of wellbeing such as GDP and HDI. It gathers a […]
Youth mental health and addiction deteriorates in Switzerland
A report published this week by Swiss Addiction shows rising consumption of addictive products containing nicotine and alcohol among young people. Much of the rise is due to newer products such as e-cigarettes and snus adding to overall consumption. Young people often use e-cigarettes in addition to regular cigarettes. Girls in particular are using them more […]
New weight loss drugs likely to push up premiums
Since the beginning of March, Swiss health insurance companies have been covering the cost of Wegovy, a weight loss product, reported SRF. Previously, Ozempic, a drug also used by diabetics, was being prescribed for weight loss. Going forward, it is expected that the drugs Wegovy and Saxenda will be prescribed for weight loss instead of […]
