Switzerland Today

Greetings from Zurich!

Outgoing Health Minister Alain Berset has delivered some painful news as one of his last duties in the job: health insurance premiums are to rise a staggering 8.7% next year.

But first, the news of the day.

Keystone

In the news: Morocco aid, Gunvor fined while the Swiss remain wealthy.

• Swiss Solidarity has raised CHF2.2 million from donors to help Morocco recover from a devastating earthquake.
• Despite seeing assets fall in value, Swiss residents are the most wealthy on the planet, with an average wealth of CHF345,000.
• September is poised to break Swiss heat records, with temperatures in excess of the average by 3.9 degrees Celcius.

Keystone

Unhealthy costs

Swiss residents had to swallow a large dose of bad tasting medicine today – health premiums next year will rise to an average CHF359.50 per month next year. That’s an average increase of CHF28.70 (or 8.7%) – the highest annual rise in premiums since 2010.

It was left to Alain Berset to serve up the bitter pill in one of his last presentations as Health Minister before standing down at the end of this year.

Switzerland was able to avoid the double-digit inflation rates of other countries since the Ukraine war. So why has the home of pharmaceutical giants like Roche and Novartis not been able to keep down health costs?

It appears that more people went to their doctor or had to seek hospital treatment while the cost of medicaments has risen 5.5%. This means that health insurance premiums will not cover the CHF35 billion cost of healthcare this year.

The extra costs will vary depending on where people live. Those residing in cantons Zug, Ticino and Appenzell Outer Rhodes will have to pay over 10% more for treatments next year.

Berset was typically colourful when insisting that a series of small changes would be more effective than a general overhaul of a “very good health system”. “With the exception of 1848, I have never been a supporter of revolutions,” he said. “There is no need for one now. Instead, further measures must be examined.”