It is a problem child: the Swiss health system. Each year, the spending has to do primarily with the growing proportion of the elderly population. But also rising wages lead to higher costs. Both of these factors result in the health expenditure between 2019 and 2021 are expected to increase annually by 3.3 to 3.6 percent. The results of the latest forecast of the ETH for business cycle research KOF.
in 2017, the health care cost according to the Federal office for statistics, a total of EUR 82.8 billion Swiss francs (definitive Figures will be published with a two-year delay, because only then sources, such as Operating accounts or financial statistics are available). The goods per head 10’774 francs a year or the equivalent of 816 francs a month.
Enter the KOF forecasts, the whole System in the year 2021, over 94 billion in tax. The health of each Swiss citizen will cost an average of almost 900 francs per month.
Who pays for it all? The largest part is covered by the compulsory health insurance and other social insurance benefits (e.g. AHV, IV). 2017 made their contributions, around 40 percent of the total cost. A fifth is financed by the public Hand (Federation, cantons and municipalities). And almost a third of the numbers of households, even for services that are not covered by health insurance.
The growing importance of health is also reflected in the expenditure of private consumers to read. In 1993, the share of the category “health care fraud” at the shopping cart (the most important of the households consumed Goods and services) to keep 10 percent, and today about 15 percent. This will spend for other products, such as, for example, food is relatively less.
at the same time, the health expenditure ratio the Federal government has increased, so the ratio of health expenditure to gross domestic product. The ratio was thirty years ago, less than 9 percent, there are now about 12 percent. In the year 2021, it is expected to be in accordance with the forecasts of the KOF even 12.9 percent. This could be an indication that a System is not enough efficient and too expensive, writes the Federal office for statistics.
Today, more than 281’000 people are expected (in full-time equivalents) in health care has. Because it is a personnel-intensive sector, the effect of rising wages, higher costs. In addition, the wage development also influences the demand for health services, since the consumers can afford in the case of rising incomes, higher expenditures for their health.
The health sector is becoming a more important branch of the Swiss economy. The proportion of employees in the health sector in total employment amounted in 1992 to 4.8 percent in 2017 already 7.3 percent.
“cost-conscious policyholders need to be rewarded.”Felix Schneuwly, health insurance expert
From the point of view of health insurance expert Felix Schneuwly, the health of the economy is therefore not just a cost factor, but also generates value-added. Specifically, the share of health sector in total value added has increased, now at 7.3 per cent (2017). “Unlike other businesses, the health care crisis-resistant sectors. Therefore, in the looming economic slowdown is stabilizing,” says Schneuwly from the comparison service Comparis, which has funded the KOF study.
nevertheless, it is according to the expert, to fix the system errors in the health insurance act: “cost – and quality-conscious Assured, the set with the choice of an alternative model on efficiency and quality of medical care, must be rewarded with fair premiums,” criticized Schneuwly. The health insurance companies have today, by law, to little room for the promotion of integrated care.
Created: 19.11.2019, 10:00 PM