After the cost of health insurance surged by 6,6 percent in 2022, the President of Switzerland, Alain Berset, has suggested that if nothing is done people in the alpine nation should expect to pay even more when premiums are renewed for 2023 / 24. It follows a report by Santésuisse which found that the cost of healthcare has already increased by 7,5 percent in the first two months of the year.

Above average health insurance premium rise expected in 2023

In an interview with the Sunday edition of the Tages-Anzeiger, Berset, who is also the Federal Health Minister, said that the government could not rule out an “above average increase” in the cost of basic and supplemental health insurance this year. While he said that it was too early to suggest how large the premium increase would be, the newspaper predicted that a rise is now almost inevitable.

It follows a recent report by the association of health insurance providers Santésuisse, which found that like last year the cost of healthcare has already risen significantly, with average per capita costs increasing by 7,5 percent in the first two months of 2023. This was highlighted by the fact that medicine in Switzerland can now be up to 400 percent more expensive than in other European countries.

Price rises in Swiss health insurance now inevitable, say insurers

Speaking in an interview with Watson in April, Santésuisse director Verena Nold said that the state assistance packages given to doctors and hospitals last year have not been enough to curb price rises for consumers. "The result is a further increase in premiums," she noted, predicting that an additional rise in health insurance costs, similar to the increase seen in 2022, is now on the cards for 2023.

Swiss president blames healthcare lobby

"We are doing everything in our power in the Federal Council to curb healthcare costs," noted President Berset. He argued that progress in parliament towards lower medical costs has been “slow”, mainly thanks to lobbying by the healthcare sector.

“There are many who have a say. Cost-cutting measures have a hard time in parliament because the many actors often protect each other. As a result, it takes a lot of time to find compromises. Many good measures have been eliminated, for example, to lower the prices of generic drugs.” Beset suggested. The president concluded that "if we don't all pull together, we won't get health care costs under control."