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Not again! Hundreds of thousands of Swiss will soon say to themselves: Health insurance premiums for basic insurance will again rise substantially in 2024. In 2023, it was 6.6 percent. This has already brought many to their financial limits. According to the calculations of the comparison service Comparis, it should average 6 percent again this year. Health insurance expert Felix Schneuwly predicts some funding will increase by over 10 percent. This really makes a difference.
Inexpensive drugs not found
The growth in overall healthcare costs in Switzerland will be 2.9 percent for 2022, according to the latest forecast by Comparis and the ETH Center for Economic Research (KOF). It will increase by 3.6 percent in the current year and 3.1 percent in 2024. According to Schneuwly, higher bureaucracy, unavailable cheap drugs and more psychotherapy add to higher costs. There will also be the implementation of the care initiative and the examination of more insecure people with common complaints.
Also, hospitals are asking for more money. Schneuwly: “General, inflationary tariff increases demanded by hospitals are rejected by health insurers and Federal Councilor Berset, citing the sharp rise in premiums.”
Cash registers do not have a reserve pad
However, the main reason for the premium shock is a political intervention in the reserves. “Health insurance companies have been compelled by the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) to reduce reserves. For this reason, many now lack the backup cushion to smooth out current cost fluctuations,” believes Schneuwly. The higher an insurer’s reserves, the more investment income needed to subsidize premiums. “The lower the premium, the stronger the premium shock.”
Fear: Many policyholders may therefore face a premium increase of more than 10 percent for the second time in 2024, after 2023. Health policy focused on costs in Federal Bern will do more harm than good. “Ultimately, restrictions on physician approvals and the quality template won’t lead to much cost savings, especially since they inflate bureaucracy,” he believes. The result: a further increase in premiums. Not a good possibility.
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
