Health insurance premiums could rise over 10 percent next year. Health Minister Alain Berset would have the power to counteract this with short-term measures for laboratory tariffs and drug prices.
In the second Corona year 2021, health expenditure rose again.
In the past four years, health insurance premiums have remained fairly stable: the average premium has increased only slightly. For 2022 there was even a slight decrease compared to the previous year. But those times are over now. The industry expects a significant increase in premiums. Estimates assume an increase of between 7 and 9 percent. According to the health insurance association Santésuisse, the premiums for 2023 could even rise by more than 10 percent in the worst case if politicians do not take countermeasures. The last time there was an increase of more than 10 percent was in 2003.
The zero round last year was welcomed by everyone. But now it turns out that the actual development of costs was underestimated. At the beginning of 2021, spending was still stable. But then they rose sharply. For the year as a whole, there was an increase of 5.1 percent.
Premiums were kept artificially low
Thomas Christen, deputy Director of the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) said at a media conference on Tuesday that part of the increase in costs was caused by subsequent treatments. In the first year of Corona, many interventions had to be postponed because of the pandemic. In addition, people were more reluctant to use medical services. The care of corona patients also has an impact. The FOPH estimates these costs at CHF 600 million for the two pandemic years 2020 and 2021.
According to Christen, there is also a basic effect involved. Because the costs were stable in the previous year, the percentage increase in 2021 will be greater. Compared to 2019, the cost increase is 3 percent annually. This is slightly above the average for the past 5 years. The costs are increasing this year as well. Figures are already available for January and February: the increase in the two months was 5 percent.
Because the premiums have to follow the costs, an increase in the coming year is inevitable. The fact that this is likely to be higher than the expected cost increase of 5 percent is also due to federal policy. The Federal Council has urged insurers to reduce their reserves. Under this pressure – and in order to protect the insured in the middle of the pandemic – the health insurance companies kept the premiums for 2022 as low as possible, writes Santésuisse. Because the actual costs are higher, however, there is a catch-up effect.
Curafutura, the second health insurance association, sees the development a little less dramatically. There is a certain logic for an increase after four years of stability, says association director Pius Zängerle. In the past ten years, costs have risen by an average of 2.5 percent per capita and year. This value is below the target of 2.7 percent proposed by a group of experts in the Federal Council.
Major reforms have a hard time
The BAG does not want to stand idly by as the costs rise. According to Christen, the focus is on reviewing drug prices. In 2018, this led to one-time savings of CHF 500 million. The Federal Office examines the prices every three years. More frequent inspections are possible, but require more resources, Christen said. In order to check all medicines annually, 20 additional employees would be needed. Savings potential also exists with generics. However, Parliament rejected a proposal by the Federal Council.
Short-term savings could also be made with laboratory tariffs. The price monitor locates a savings potential of CHF 1.5 billion here, Santésuisse at least several hundred million francs. According to price monitors, laboratory tariffs in Switzerland are, in extreme cases, up to 31 times more expensive than abroad. Health Minister Alain Berset announced in March that he would reduce laboratory tariffs – according to the BAG later this year. Industry experts expect savings of CHF 300 million.
However, reforms that have a longer-term effect are also required. These include the uniform financing of outpatient and inpatient treatment or a new tariff for the outpatient area. But when it comes to such major reforms, the players in the healthcare system often block each other.