Research shows that the bonus hammer puts one in seven people in need

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Rising rents, higher electricity costs, more expensive food – and now the premium shock. Healthcare premiums will increase by an average of 8.7 percent in the coming year. Minister of Health Alain Berset (51) announced this on Tuesday.

The climb is steep. Next year, someone will have to pay an average of almost 360 francs per month for health insurance, about 29 francs more than now. For a family with two children, this means additional costs of easily more than 1,000 francs per year.

“Serious financial problems”

Households that are short on cash are experiencing financial problems due to the premium hammer. And there are quite a few. In a survey by the market research institute Marketagent Switzerland, 14 percent of respondents said that a further premium increase would hit them hard. They agree with the statement that they are facing ‘serious financial problems’ because they have ‘already exhausted all savings options’.

The research was conducted in the first two weeks of September, before it was known by what percentage premiums would actually increase. More than 1,000 people between the ages of 14 and 74 participated online. However, the research is not representative.

Romans more affected

Nearly half of those surveyed indicate that they will not be in great financial distress due to rising healthcare costs, but that they will have to limit their consumption behavior next year. Overall, high healthcare costs influence consumer behavior for almost two-thirds of all respondents. However, 37 percent say they are not bothered by it.

There are major differences between the language areas. In French-speaking Switzerland, the share of people in need is 22 percent, twice as high as in German-speaking Switzerland. Of all age groups, people between 20 and 29 years are most affected.

Caritas is concerned

“With the renewed enormous increase, the premium burden will become overwhelming for many people in the coming year,” warns Peter Lack, director of aid organization Caritas. Caritas, like the left, demands that the cantons increase the budget for premium reductions to ease the burden on people with little money. However, this is treating the symptoms.

The problem will only really be solved if the growth in healthcare costs can be stopped. But how? That is the question of 38 billion francs. That is the amount that the compulsory health insurance paid for medical services last year.

Source:Blick