On 24 September 2015 the Federal Public Health Office (OFSP) announced basic Swiss health insurance premium increases for 2016. Many are in a state of shock. The average increase across all cantons and insurance companies is 4%, however this number masks huge rises for some. Increases vary significantly by canton, insurance company, level of deductible […]
Swiss health insurance: low cost Assura gets expensive
24 Heures. Assura, the health insurer based in the French-speaking part of the country, pioneered low cost health insurance and is now the lowest cost option in 23 cantons. It is also one of the largest insuring around 910,000 people across the Swiss nation including a quarter of Geneva and Vaud residents. According to the […]
Geneva, Zurich, Luxembourg are most affordable cities, UBS says
A UBS study, published this week by the Swiss bank, compares the affordability of 71 cities around the world. The top three are Geneva. which is in third place, Zurich which is in second, and Luxembourg which is at the top. In addition to an overall measure of affordability, the report looks at how long […]
Corporate tax reform. Geneva decides to wait.
20 Minutes. According to the newspaper, Geneva is in no hurry to move forward with proposed changes to the way companies are taxed. On Wednesday Geneva’s State Council also said it expects a cantonal referendum. Swiss tax changes affecting international companies (28.05.15) Examination of the proposed changes by the Federal Parliament will begin this winter […]
Geneva pensioners asked to prove they are still alive
Tribune de Genève. According to Tribune de Genève 20,000 pensioners were contacted and asked to prove they are still alive. 16,700 in Switzerland and 3,300 abroad. Some of those who received the letters are furious. One recipient said that many of her retired friends found the letters humiliating. The requests were sent to former employees […]
Geneva bars sell second most expensive beer in the world
Go Euro. According to the Go Euro 2015 beer price index, a 33ml draught beer in a bar in Geneva will set you back an eye watering US$10.77 on average. Krakow is the best city for the beer thirsty. There a 33ml draught beer in a bar will cost only US$2.70, around a quarter of […]
Frontaliers hit hardest by proposed changes to Geneva’s tax rules
Tribune de Genève According to the newspaper Tribune de Genève, proposed changes to Geneva’s tax rules, designed to pull in an extra CHF 28 million of tax revenue, will hit cross-border workers hardest. The changes, to be put before the canton’s Grand Council as part of the 2016 budget, will replace deductions for actual travel […]
The Swiss franc – to Euro parity and beyond?
With a number of ups and downs the Swiss franc has gained ground against the Euro since February and there appears to be little the Swiss National Bank (SNB) can do to manage its value. Last Wednesday in an attempt to halt the rise the SNB extended the range of institutions that must pay its […]
Geneva’s unemployment now higher than the US
The unemployment rate in Geneva for March 2015 was 5.6%. In the United States (US) the March 2015 rate was 5.5%, 0.1% lower than in Geneva. US employment has enjoyed a remarkable turn around. Five years ago US unemployment was 9.7%. Five years ago in Geneva it was 7.3%, so the US has moved further […]
Costly Swiss drugs – why pain continues despite strong franc
Medicines are expensive in Switzerland and while a number of groups such as Santé Suisse are working hard to secure savings, the problem of relatively high prices continues. High drug prices persist in Switzerland for three key reasons. 1. Too many branded drugs There are two kinds of drugs: branded and generic drugs with expired-patents. […]
