It is the second highest value ever and the highest since 2010: a total of 12.8 percent of the insured changed health insurance at the beginning of 2023. This corresponds to about 1.1 million people. Young adults in particular were prepared to change, namely the group of 26 to 34 year olds, the French-speaking Swiss, where the premium burden is already higher, and the high earners. This is the result of a representative study commissioned by consultancy firm Accenture and available to CH Media.
The share of those who have never switched health insurers is now at 30 percent, the study found. And it will probably continue to shrink. More than 50 percent of the respondents indicate that they want to compare premiums this year. “Since noticeable premium increases are also expected this fall, there should be above average movement again,” says study author and Accenture health specialist Marcel Thom.
Thom does not want to set an exact amount for the premium at this time. However, it is probably higher than the long-term average of plus 3 percent. Because in addition to the regular increase in costs, there is also a “catch-up demand”. In principle, the premiums should increase along with the costs, but that has not happened in recent years. While costs rose by 7.4 percent between 2020 and 2022, premiums rose by ‘only’ 5.9 percent in the same period, Thom explains. The difference of 1.5 percentage points must be closed.
The foreseeable increase in premiums will keep the carousel afloat. Because for about 80 percent of the respondents, the amount of the premium is the most important factor in the decision to switch health insurer. Other aspects are secondary. Thom explains the observed increase in the premium criterion mainly with the recent relatively high premium increase of 6.6 percent on average. “Price sensitivity has increased.” Many people would have understood that they could save money here without any real loss of performance.
And there are probably more. If the premium increases by CHF 20 per month at the beginning of 2024, 29 percent of policyholders would consider switching, according to the study. With a surcharge of 30 francs or more, that is already 67 percent. Obstacles that contradict changing health insurance are, according to the research, satisfaction with the current provider or the feared red tape. But in the end it is not very big. Almost two-thirds of the insured changes their basic insurance with a mouse click, via the homepage of the new provider or via an online comparator.
The rapid change of health insurer leads to an increase in splits, because the supplementary insurance cannot be kept in check as easily as the basic insurance due to previous illnesses or multi-year contracts. According to a survey, 22 percent of the insured already receive their basic and supplementary insurance with two different health insurers. However, the trend towards unbundling is also fueled by new offerings such as the Axa Group, which only offers supplementary insurance and optimizes basic insurance for its customers – in other words: shifts to where the premium is cheapest.
Ultimately, in today’s market environment, as Thom puts it, “price is everything”. And this despite the fact that the local population is very concerned about their health and also charges something for it. In the Accenture survey, 76 percent said they “actively” invest in their health, and 54 percent even expressed a high willingness to pay for it. “Swiss are health freaks,” says Thom.
People in Switzerland are therefore very health sensitive and at the same time very cost conscious when choosing an insurer. What seems contradictory at first sight is quickly resolved: only 18 percent of respondents think that health insurers are jointly responsible for their health.
A devastating value when you consider that health insurers have been trying for years to position themselves as healthcare partners for their customers with expensive commercials and campaigns. Ultimately, they remain a paying agency. According to those surveyed, the primary responsibility for their health lies with them, followed by doctors and other health professionals or family and friends.
But not only the health insurers get bad figures from the population. Only 39 percent of those surveyed say that the focus of the Swiss health care system is on the patient. Thom thinks “there is still a lot of room for improvement here”. All the more so as Switzerland has the second most expensive healthcare system in the world after the US, costing more than 90 billion francs a year.
The respondents see a lot of potential for improvement in the coordination between doctors and hospitals. Only 43 percent believe this is currently working well. The electronic patient file (EPD), which could offer a solution here, is still a long time coming. “Switzerland is not really making progress in terms of digitization in healthcare,” says Thom. “And this despite the fact that the population wants more digitization.” (aargauerzeitung.ch)
Source: Blick
I am Ross William, a passionate and experienced news writer with more than four years of experience in the writing industry. I have been working as an author for 24 Instant News Reporters covering the Trending section. With a keen eye for detail, I am able to find stories that capture people’s interest and help them stay informed.
