Healthcare costs continue to rise Santésuisse expects premiums to rise by 5 percent

The health insurance association Santésuisse is expecting premiums to rise by 5 percent. The reason this time is tariff increases

Last year saw the highest increase in premiums for 20 years: 8.7 percent. This time it should not be so bad. However, the health insurance association Santésuisse is expecting an increase of around 5 percent.

The association is basing this on the increase in healthcare costs in the first seven months of this year. The increase amounted to 4.8 percent across Switzerland, as theTages-Anzeigerwrites. Santésuisse is assuming slightly lower growth for the second half of the year. However, when calculating premiums, health insurers also have to make a cost estimate for the coming year.

"The prospects are alarming for premium payers," says Santésuisse Director Verena Nold to the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper. "Up to now, premiums have mainly risen because the volume of medical services has increased. Now tariff increases are on the cards."

There are various reasons for the cost increase: Tariff increases in hospitals and healthcare costs are rising in almost all areas. In addition, more people are receiving outpatient treatment in hospitals or doctors' surgeries. But medication and laboratory costs are also rising and, in view of longer life expectancy, Spitex is needed more and more often, which is reflected in the costs.

The last week of September will probably show how much premiums will really rise.