Many new rules for social insurance: What will change in 2024 for AHV, PK and health insurance

In September 2022, many women pulled long faces: a majority of men prevailed over women and helped the AHV reform to be successful at the ballot box. In the future, women will have to work until they are 65. Although the AHV reform will come into effect in 2024, there is still a grace period for the higher retirement age for women: it will only gradually increase by three months per year from 2025, and from 2028 the retirement age of 65 will apply to everyone.

But the reform will bring many innovations as early as 2024: the old-age pension can now be withdrawn flexibly and gradually between the ages of 63 and 70 – even on a monthly basis. Anyone who retires before the age of 65 will have their pension reduced by 6.8 percent per year. Those who postpone retirement will receive a pension that is 5.2 to 31.5 percent higher, depending on the duration of the postponement. Exception: For women of the menopausal generation – i.e. those born between 1961 and 1969 – early retirements are still possible from the age of 62, and the reduction percentages are lower.

Partial pensions between 20 and 80 percent are now also possible. This means: For example, you can continue to work 50 percent and temporarily only receive half a pension. This makes the transition from working life to retirement easier.

Anyone who continues to work beyond the reference age can now choose whether they want to pay AHV premiums on their entire income or take advantage of a supplement. This is 1,400 francs. And for anyone who has a contribution shortfall or does not yet receive a maximum pension, the contribution periods and the income earned up to five years after the reference age can be counted once. However, this is only possible if you earn at least 40 percent of your previous average annual income from your work.

Further changes to the AHV: The waiting period for the right to helplessness benefits decreases from one year to six months. In addition, the right to orthopedic shoe care is being expanded. The AHV now makes an annual contribution to the costs instead of only every two years.

When the reform comes into effect, VAT will also be increased in favor of the AHV. And indefinitely. The standard rate will increase by 0.4 percent – ​​from 7.7 to 8.1 percent today. The reduced rate – for food or books, for example – will increase by 0.1 to 2.6 percent. The special rate for the hotel sector is just as strong at 3.8 percent. This means that approximately 1.5 billion additional francs flows into the AHV fund every year.

Money from pension funds must yield more. From 2024, the minimum interest rate on pension savings in occupational pension schemes (BVG) will increase slightly from 1 to 1.25 percent. The Federal Council has decided this.

The rate determines the minimum amount of interest that must be paid on the pension assets of the insured on the basis of the BVG obligation. The development of returns on federal bonds, but also on shares, bonds and real estate, is crucial for their level.

The trade union federation had called for an increase to two percent because of inflation. Because the higher interest loans are immediately eaten up by inflation. Over the past three years, pension savings have lost their real value.

New provisions are coming into force in the compulsory health insurance (KVG) that should curb the increase in healthcare costs. These include cost monitoring for doctors and hospitals as well as health insurers and a right of appeal for health insurers with cantonal hospital planning. Service providers and insurers must now, among other things, monitor costs and take countermeasures if necessary, for example by reducing rates or reimbursements.

In addition, the Federal Council wants to save 250 million francs by promoting generic medicines. There is normally a deductible of ten percent for medicines. But if there is a cheaper generic alternative and patients still opt for a more expensive original preparation, the deductible in these cases increases from the previous 20 to 40 percent.

Another KVG adjustment is aimed at reducing the debts of minors: they can no longer operate because their parents have not paid the health insurance premiums.

The mandatory basic insurance now reimburses the costs of preventive breast and ovary removal for certain risk genes. The federal government wants to improve the prevention of breast and ovarian cancer in women at particular risk. Previously, both interventions were only reimbursed if two specific gene mutations were present.

With disability insurance (IV), the so-called degree of disability determines the amount of an IV pension. To measure the degree of IV, the effective income before and after the disability is compared. For those affected by IV without income, a hypothetical income is assumed that they could earn based on statistical wage tables. However, these table wages will now be reduced by a flat rate of ten percent, because the incomes of disabled people are generally lower in reality. This increases the IV grade – and with it the pension. From 2024, the new calculation will be applied to all new pensions; current pensions will be reviewed within three years.

The IV now funds autism assistance dogs for children up to the age of nine and epilepsy alert dogs for children and adults. In addition, if you have a mobility disability, you are entitled to assistance dogs from the age of 16 instead of from the age of 18.

The death of a parent immediately after birth is a fateful event for the affected family. The federal government is taking this situation into account by adjusting the regulations on income compensation. The surviving parent is now entitled to longer maternity or paternity leave.

If a mother dies within 14 weeks of giving birth, the child’s father or the mother’s wife will receive 14 weeks of leave – in addition to the existing two weeks of leave for the other parent. At the same time, in the event of the death of the father or wife within six months of the birth of the child, the mother is entitled to a two-week holiday. The survivor’s leave is therefore 16 weeks.