Healthcare costs rose by 4.1% to CHF97 billion in 2024.
Keystone-SDA
Switzerland’s healthcare costs rose to CHF97 billion ($123 billion) in 2024, an increase of more than 4% compared with the previous year, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) said on Friday. Households continued to shoulder the bulk of the financing.
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According to the FSO, households covered almost two‑thirds of total healthcare funding, with around 21% paid directly and 40% through indirect contributions, mainly health insurance premiums. Public authorities -particularly the cantons – financed most of the remainder. Household spending increased by 5.8% year on year, while public spending rose by 5.7%.
Care and assistance services accounted for roughly two‑thirds of total costs in 2024. Spending in this area rose by 4.4%, driven mainly by inpatient care (+6.6%) and long‑term care (+5.9%). Outpatient care and rehabilitation costs rose more modestly, by around 2%.
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Expenditure on prevention fell sharply, down 15.8%, returning to pre‑pandemic levels. Spending on medicines and therapeutic devices increased by 6.3%, while administrative costs were up 2%.
Cost growth was highest in nursing homes (+4.4%), followed by medical practices (+3.6%) and hospitals (+3.3%). Retail trade – largely pharmacies – recorded particularly strong growth of 8.7%.
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Healthcare costs averaged CHF10,792 per person in 2024. Canton Basel City recorded the highest per‑capita spending at CHF13,709, while canton Uri had the lowest (CHF8,671).
The FSO forecasts that healthcare costs could rise by at least 3% in 2025.
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Adapted from German by AI/sb
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