Switzerland Federal Council has made a move towards raising the country’s minimum health insurance deductible by 100 francs to dissuade the public from seeking non-urgent healthcare.
To counteract the high – and continually rising – cost of Switzerland’s health system, the Federal Council wants to encourage the population to practice more restraint in their use of healthcare services.
They want to achieve this by increasing the lowest deductible – used by 45 percent of the population – from 300 to 400 francs.
The deductible is the amount of the annual co-pay that you choose — ranging from the lowest, 300 francs, to the highest, which is 2,500 francs. (There are various other amounts in between as well, but these two are the most common).
Whichever amount you choose, you will have to pay it yourself before you can claim benefits from the insurance provider.
Ministers have opened a consultation on an amendment to the Federal Health Insurance Act (LAMal) to this effect.
The reason behind this hike is that since the Federal Health Insurance Act came into force in 1996, the costs shouldered by health insurance companies have tripled.
A higher deductible would therefore reduce the burden on premiums, they argue.
This move is long overdue, the Federal Council said, because the last increase in the deductible was in 2004, when it rose from 230 to 300 francs.
READ MORE: Which Swiss health insurance deductible makes most sense?
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‘On the wrong track’
The Federal Council’s move is facing opposition, however.
According to the Swiss Trade Union Federation (USS), “the Federal Council and Parliament have long been on the wrong track when it comes to financing the healthcare system. And now they want to raise the minimum deductible even further. The additional [financial] burden that will fall on the population is unacceptable.”
Furthermore, “a higher minimum deductible would primarily affect the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, who have no choice but to opt for a higher deductible due to their health conditions. It would also harm public health in general, as the already excessively high cost-sharing would force even more patients to forgo necessary services, jeopardising their health,” the federation said.
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What will happen next?
The issue will be discussed in the Parliament.
If it is approved it will, as is always the case with new laws, this change will be voted on in a referendum.
It is also possible that it will not get MPs approval, and will not go any further.
This is what happened to another recent case seeking to cut the cost of healthcare: in 2025, the move to impose a 50-franc fee on those who seek emergency care at a hospital in without a doctor’s referral, had been rejected in the parliament.
READ MORE: Swiss plan to charge 50 francs for emergency hospital visits rejected
