Vaccines to be exempt from Swiss health insurance deductibles, FOPH confirms
By Jan de Boer
In future, people in Switzerland will not be charged for various vaccinations, under plans announced by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). It’s hoped the move will boost the vaccination rate.
Various vaccines are to be exempt from deductibles
In a statement given to RTS, the FOPH confirmed that a whole raft of vaccines will be made largely free from January 1, 2026. From the start of next year, a selection of jabs will be exempt from deductibles for health insurance, allowing doctors and pharmacists to administer them without charging patients.
Inoculations against diphtheria, tetanus, COVID-19, MPOX, pneumococcus, and meningococcus will be included in the scheme. However, it must be noted that other forms of co-payments, such as retention fees, will still be included should they apply.
Vaccinations will also be offered to pregnant women to defend against the human respiratory syncytial virus. This means that the newborn will be protected from the disease from birth.
FOPH hopes cheaper vaccines will mean a higher vaccination rate in Switzerland
It’s hoped that by making vaccines free, more people will be convinced to vaccinate in Switzerland. Though data on the topic is hard to come by, in 2020, FOPH head of Vaccination Recommendations and Control Measures Mark Witschi told Swissinfo that they estimate that 3 to 5 percent of the population is strongly opposed to vaccination. A 2020 survey also found that, when it came to prospective COVID vaccines, 28 percent said they would get vaccinated, while 47 percent said that they would “wait and see”.
Though vaccine sceptics may be small in number, they can have a devastating effect on the healthcare system. For instance, a 2025 study from Johns Hopkins University found that in order to achieve herd immunity against measles, 95 percent of children must be vaccinated against the disease.
Other changes to the healthcare system in Switzerland are also on the horizon. From July 1, 2025, colorectal screenings for those aged 50 to 75 will be covered, an expansion from the current upper age limit of 69. Those suffering from chronic illnesses will also no longer have to justify additional needs, resources and equipment to the authorities every year.
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Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016.
While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more