Healthcare costs and car systems You need to know about these changes in July

Numerous changes are coming to Switzerland again in July. blue News provides you with a comprehensive overview.

In July 2024, Switzerland will once again be making various changes that could affect your life. Among other things, milk will become more expensive.

blue News has a comprehensive overview of all the changes in July 2024.

From July 2024, all new cars sold in Switzerland must be equipped with certain assistance systems as standard. These assistance systems are not just for convenience, but should also help to make road traffic in Switzerland as safe as possible. This is according to the Federal Roads Office Astra.

In line with the EU, every new vehicle registered in Switzerland must be equipped with certain systems from July 7, 2024. However, there is no obligation to retrofit older vehicles.

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Emergency brake assist, for example, will be mandatory. This constantly monitors what is happening in front of the vehicle and automatically initiates emergency braking if an obstacle is detected. This can either prevent a collision altogether or at least reduce its severity. In future, cars will also assist the driver when reversing. Warning sounds or reversing cameras should enable obstacles or people behind the vehicle to be recognized quickly.

Vaccination against Covid-19 will no longer be free from July 1. The health insurance company will now cover the vaccination costs for people who are recommended to have the injection. These are currently people with pre-existing conditions and over 65-year-olds, as announced by the Federal Office of Public Health.

However, a deductible and franchise apply, as stated in a press release. The regular reimbursement structures will now be applied for the Covid-19 vaccination.

From July 1, vaccines will also no longer be purchased centrally but procured through the usual distribution channels.

Vaccination against the coronavirus is still free until the end of June. The costs will be covered by the federal government, the cantons and basic insurance. Last November, the Federal Council decided to keep access to the vaccination low-threshold until mid-2024.

The milk industry organization is increasing the target price for milk by 3 centimes per liter from July. Originally, the farmers demanded an immediate increase of 4 centimes, but this proposal did not receive a majority.

The milk price is set anew for each quarter. It was lowered last January.

From the middle of the year, the principle "No means no" will apply to sex. Rape, sexual assault or sexual coercion are now considered to have taken place if the victim has expressed with words, gestures or by freezing that they do not consent to the act.

In January, the Federal Council brought the revised Sexual Offenses Act into force on July 1. The date was in line with the wishes of the cantons, it wrote. This gave them the time they needed to prepare for the changes and train the authorities concerned.

The reform introduces the new "No means No" regulation, which had triggered controversial discussions in parliament. In addition to words or gestures, the victim's state of shock, known as freezing, is also considered a sign of rejection.

If the victim freezes in fear and is unable to express refusal or defend themselves, perpetrators are now also punished for rape or sexual assault and sexual coercion - if they have recognized the victim's state of shock.

The big bank UBS is making rapid progress with the integration of Credit Suisse. The merger of the local legal entities - UBS Switzerland and CS Switzerland - could be completed in just under three weeks.

As UBS is continuing to make rapid progress with the integration of Credit Suisse, it expects that the merger of the national companies could take place as early as July 1, 2024, subject to the remaining official approvals. UBS Switzerland CEO Sabine Keller-Busse had already announced this in an interview with the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung ".

UBS had previously expected the merger to take place in the third quarter of 2024, but did not specify an exact date. The CS Switzerland business is to be gradually transferred to the UBS systems by the end of 2025.

By adjusting drug margins, the Federal Council wants to promote low-cost generics and thus reduce healthcare costs. It expects potential savings of around CHF 60 million. Consumer advocates, meanwhile, see a lot of untapped potential.

Up to now, margins have been heavily dependent on the price of medicines. The distribution share for more expensive medicines was higher than for cheaper ones, which is why there was an incentive to sell more expensive medicines.

The standardization of margins for medicines with the same active ingredient that has now been agreed reduces the disincentive to dispense the most expensive medicines possible in order to maximize profits. In addition, the distribution share and thus also the sales price will be reduced for more expensive medicines and increased for cheaper medicines. The Federal Council has approved the corresponding amendments to the ordinance and brought them into force on July 1, 2024.

Retailers can now charge the additional costs for the disposal of severely damaged batteries. In addition, a provision will be introduced to reimburse the advance disposal fee when exporting batteries.

According to the Federal Council, the revision of the Ordinance on Chemical Risk Reduction (ORRChem) will provide companies with greater legal certainty. In view of the increasing volume of batteries for electric cars, uniform implementation of the ordinance is to be ensured.

In Switzerland, all consumers are legally obliged to return batteries and all battery sellers are obliged to take them back.

Health insurance companies now cover the costs of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis for people at increased risk. The latter refers to a safer sex method before possible HIV contact. HIV-negative people can take an HIV medication to protect themselves from infection in the event of contact.

The adaptation is part of the "Stop HIV, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and sexually transmitted infections (naps)" program adopted by the Federal Council. By 2030, there should be no more infections with the AIDS virus (HIV) and no more infections with hepatitis B and C in Switzerland.

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) is increasing the minimum reserve requirements for domestic banks. To this end, it is amending the National Bank Ordinance as of July 1, 2024.

Specifically, according to a statement on Monday, liabilities from callable customer deposits (excluding tied pension assets) will in future be included in full in the calculation of the minimum reserve requirement, as will other relevant liabilities. The previous exception that only 20 percent of these liabilities are to be taken into account for the calculation will thus be abolished. The SNB is also raising the minimum reserve ratio to 4 percent from the previous 2.5 percent.