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HEALTH

How Switzerland is assisting parents hit by the coronavirus crisis

Parents required to miss work while taking care of their kids due to the coronavirus crisis can apply for compensation from the Swiss government. Here’s how.

Published: 8 April 2020 10:51 CEST
Updated: 12 May 2020 13:34 CEST
How Switzerland is assisting parents hit by the coronavirus crisis
Photo: JOHN MOORE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

In order to reduce the negative economic impact of the coronavirus, the Swiss government has put in place a variety of measures targeted at stimulating the economy. 

One such measure is the compensation payments made available to parents who have lost income while caring for their children who are no longer in school as a result of the virus. 

Switzerland: How can artists and musicians apply for coronavirus assistance? 

READ: Who can apply for coronavirus financial assistance in Switzerland? 

Who is eligible for compensation? 

For parents of children under 12, the compensation is available for anyone who has “to stop working because the child's childcare is no longer guaranteed”. 

Eligible applicants must be compulsorily insured to the AVS/AHV (Swiss social security insurance) and they must be employed or in self-employment. 

The need to take care of their children must be due to measures put in place due to the coronavirus. 

This includes closures of schools and kindergartens, while it also covers situations where the care was usually provided by a person in a high-risk category – i.e. someone over the age of 65 or with a pre-existing medical condition. 

If childcare is still possible – for instance through a spouse or if the usual childcare facility remains open – no compensation is available. 

How much is available? 

The compensation is for lost income due to the virus. The compensation will be for 80 percent of usual income, up to a maximum of CHF196 per day. 

Although both full and part-time workers can apply, the amount of this income must be “decisive”. 

This term is not defined, but the guidance says that if a person normally works three days per week and now missed two days due to caring for their child, they are entitled to compensation for those two days. 

The loss of earnings must be documented, for instance through a written letter from an employer. 

What about school holidays?

Compensation will still be available during school holidays if the usual method of childcare is not available. 

This means that if the school usually offers holiday childcare but now does not, compensation is available. 

More information on the compensation and how to apply is provided in German, French and Italian here. 

Why have so few parents applied? 

In an interview with Swiss media outlet Le Temps on April 7th, a spokesperson for the Swiss Trade Union Union (USS) said the take-up rate by parents has been “very low”, most likely due to few parents actually knowing about it. 

The USS says this is due to the structural inequalities of the labour market, with the parents who need the compensation the most being the ones with the least time to assess their options. 

 

 

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HEALTH

How you can save money on healthcare in Switzerland

Between insurance premiums and over-priced drugs and other costs, healthcare in Switzerland comes at a steep price. Clare O'Dea looks at why the costs are so high and some of the ways you can save money.

Published: 18 December 2023 10:40 CET
How you can save money on healthcare in Switzerland

On the surface, the Swiss healthcare provision model looks egalitarian. All residents are obliged by law to purchase the same basic package of insurance, and the premiums are subsidised for those on low incomes. So why is cost such a bone of contention?

The problem is that the healthcare itself is very expensive, the second most expensive system in the world after the United States. And most of the cost is shouldered by households one way or another. This hurts those on low to middle incomes the most.

Between health insurance premiums, out-of-pocket expenses and over-priced drugs, households are spending a significant chunk of their income on health. Amazingly, Swiss residents fund 59 per cent of the national expenditure on health, according to the Federal Office for Public Health figures for 2020. The rest comes from state coffers, and, to a small extent, from employers.

To bring it down to an individual level, Swiss residents shell out 478 francs per person per month on health costs. Compulsory health insurance premiums account for 252 francs of that total on average. The rest goes on supplementary (top-up) health insurance premiums (42 francs), co-payment on policies plus out-of-pocket expenses (174 francs) and ‘other funding’ (10).

Politicians across the spectrum seem to be incapable of doing anything to curb health inflation. The latest is that health insurance premiums are set to increase by 8.7 per cent in 2024. That’s not a projection but a fact, as announced by the health minister in September.

KEY POINTS: What you need to know about Switzerland’s health insurance price hikes

Public purse

The worst thing would be to miss out on your entitlements. To find out if you qualify for premium subsidies, you’ll have to go through your home canton. Each canton has its own reduction rates and rules on eligibility. In some, there are systems in place to identify and notify eligible people but in others, you have to check and apply yourself.

This possibility is definitely worth looking into if you think you might be eligible – around a quarter of the population qualify for these payments. In some cantons, the proportion of recipients is higher. Moneyland.ch has put together a list of the contact information for premium reductions in each canton.

Take the initiative

Generally speaking, to save money on healthcare costs, the insured have to take the initiative themselves. New arrivals to Switzerland are required to take out a policy within three months, and should definitely shop around. Pricing comparison websites such as moneyland.ch , comparis.ch and Priminfo (in the national languages only) help to cut through the noise and find the best deal for your individual circumstances.

Age and location are important criteria. There are infinite tiny pricing variations between the 40+ non-profit insurers (known as “Krankenkasse”, “caisse maladie” or “cassa malati”), which means you may even find a better deal by buying policies from different insurers for different members of the family.

For those who already have a policy, it makes sense to do an annual price check up when the following year’s rates are announced in the autumn. Chopping and changing, which everyone has a right to do once a year, can really pay off.

The window for changing providers has just closed but you can be ready to notify your current provider by November 30th next year. Handily, the comparison websites also provide template letters for cancelling a policy.

READ ALSO: Which Swiss health insurance providers have the lowest rates in 2024?

Different models

Even if you decide to stay with the same insurer, you can obviously change the type of policy to a cheaper version. The so-called standard model is the most expensive. Under this arrangement, you decide which doctor you’d like to see, including specialists, and make appointments when you feel the need. 

There are other cheaper managed care models which are designed to cut down on unnecessary visits to the doctor. With these, you have to have a telemedicine consultation or visit a pharmacy before you get the green light to make an appointment with a doctor. There is another model where you have to see your general practitioner to get a referral to a specialist.

Calculations

The best way to save overall is to get clever with your deductible. That’s the share of medical expenses that you have to pay from your own pocket in the space of the year before your insurer starts reimbursing. The lower the deductible, the higher the premium.

Making the right choice involves a certain risk. But it is at least possible to make an educated guess based on past experience. There are several bands between 300 and 2,500 francs per year for deductibles (the amounts are lower for children).

If you tend not to need medical care and think your health costs are likely to be low in the coming year, it would make sense to go for the maximum deductible, which can translate into a saving up around 40 per cent on premiums. If you have reason to believe your bills will add up to 2,000 francs or more, then you’re better off going for the minimum deductible.

Don’t double up

That’s all speaking about the mandatory insurance package, which includes illness, accident and maternity care. But make sure you really need that accident insurance. Anyone who is employed for more than 8 hours per week is covered by their employer’s accident insurance, in which case it should be removed from their personal policy.

If you are looking to save money on health insurance, chances are you won’t be looking for additional insurance, also known as supplementary insurance. These policies give you more freedom over choice of hospital, and also cover therapies and treatments that are not included in the basic mandatory package. You can have both policies from the same provider or mix and match.

Though it can be irritating to hear this, especially if you already have a health condition, there is one final way that you can save on health costs – don’t get sick. What this advice really means is to lead a healthy lifestyle by taking exercise, eating a balanced diet, not consuming too much alcohol and cutting out smoking. Those are things we have control over, unlike genetics and luck.

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