Record costs in the healthcare sector Premiums continue to rise - and there is no end in sight for 2026
Whether it's a visit to the doctor, medication or Spitex - healthcare costs are rising rapidly. Health insurance premiums are likely to rise again in 2026. This is shown by the new figures from the FOPH.
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- Healthcare costs in Switzerland rose by 4.9% in the first quarter of 2025.
- Zug, Lucerne and Ticino are particularly affected - a further premium increase for 2026 is considered likely.
- The main cost drivers are increased expenditure on medication (up 30 % in 9 years), higher doctors' fees and a significant increase in Spitex (+11.2 %).
- Associations such as FMH, H+ and Spitex point to demographic change, the after-effects of the pandemic and political disincentives as the causes.
Health insurance premiums in Switzerland are rising continuously, and there is no relief in sight for 2026 either. As new figures from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) show, prices have already risen in the first quarter of 2025.
Healthcare costs, which have a significant impact on premiums, rose by 4.9 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year. On average, a person spent CHF 4,754 on costs covered by compulsory health insurance over the course of the year, CHF 223 more than in the previous year. The cantons of Zug and Lucerne were particularly affected, with costs rising by 7.5% and 7% respectively. St. Gallen, Aargau and Ticino also recorded significant increases.
Drug costs rise by 30 percent per person
Rising medication costs are a key driver of this development. In the last nine years, expenditure on medication in compulsory health insurance has risen by more than 30% per insured person. Cancer drugs are contributing significantly to the rise in costs.
In view of these developments, further premium increases are also expected in 2026. The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) emphasizes the need to curb costs in the long term in order to keep the healthcare system affordable.
Insured persons should therefore review their insurance models and deductibles and adjust them if necessary. The FOPH's official premium calculator offers a helpful way of comparing different options.
Doctors cost the most
Visits to the doctor are currently the most expensive: on average, they cost CHF 49 more than last year. Hospitals cost an additional CHF 38, and "other service providers" such as psychotherapists and podiatrists are also taking their toll - CHF 25 more per person. However, the biggest relative increase comes from an organization that is actually supposed to help reduce costs: Spitex - up 11.2 percent, as reported by "20 Minuten".
Baby boomers, bureaucracy, treatments
The FMH medical association sees the reasons in the ageing population and an increase in chronic illnesses. The baby boomers in particular are reaching the age at which the need for medical care increases significantly. The after-effects of the coronavirus pandemic are also still making themselves felt.
What's more, although outpatient instead of inpatient treatment is politically desirable, it leads to additional costs in the short term - because outpatient treatment is fully covered by health insurance, while half of inpatient stays are co-financed by the state. The Efas reform, which is due to come in 2028, promises to remedy this.
H+ and Spitex: "We are not to blame"
The hospital association H+ emphasizes to "20 Minuten" that they are actively curbing cost growth - for example by providing more outpatient services and digital tools. Instead, it blames politics with its "growing bureaucracy" and excessively low tariffs.
Spitex Switzerland, on the other hand, points to people's desire to live at home for as long as possible - which is cheaper economically, but also more costly. In addition, the number of family carers who can be legally remunerated via Spitex permits is growing - an area that is currently barely regulated. The association is urgently calling for clearer rules, it told "20 Minuten".
Pharmacists and laboratories: it's getting more expensive here too
Pharmacies are also recording an increase: 21 francs more per person. The Pharmacists' Association cites the rise in chronic illnesses, changes in patient behaviour and a delayed flu epidemic as possible reasons - but also emphasizes the beneficial effect of a new pricing model that favours low-cost generics.
The laboratories, on the other hand, point to stable per capita costs - with increasing utilization. They see themselves as part of the solution: "Early detection saves money in the long term."
