Swiss health insurance costs rise to 4.834 francs per capita, reports FOPH

Health insurance premiums are one of the biggest monthly expenses for residents in Switzerland, and they are on the rise.

The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH/Bundesamt für Gesundheit) has announced that the average health insurance costs per capita rose to 4.834 Swiss francs over the past 12 months, 21 francs more than in the previous year.

Costs creep up across healthcare services

The majority of healthcare services increased in price, most significantly across home care services (e.g. Spitex), which rose by 14,9 percent, psychotherapy (10,9 percent) and physiotherapy (7,2 percent).

Outpatient medical treatments took up the biggest share of healthcare costs, costing an average of 1.101 francs, up 73 francs compared to the previous year. Dispensing medication cost 913 francs, up 28 francs, followed by inpatient hospital treatments (899 francs, up 28 francs). Outpatient hospital treatments cost 807 francs and actually dropped 150 francs, but this was due to billing delays.

Switching premiums saves thousands 

It was recently predicted by comparison website Comparis that health insurance premiums will rise by an average of 3,7 percent in 2027. While slightly lower than in previous years, it is the fourth consecutive year that costs have crept up. 

A recent Comparis study, reported by Blick, highlighted the importance of checking for cheaper deals when premium renewals come around. If someone living in Basel-Stadt had switched from the most expensive to the cheapest health insurance premium in January 2016, they would have saved approximately 38.436 francs across 10 years. 

The same goes for other Swiss cantons, with the average saving in Geneva being 37.752 francs and 35.517 francs in Zurich.

“Many insured people stay with their insurer for years, even though they could pay significantly less for the same statutory benefits,” explains Comparis health insurance expert Harry Büsser.