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HEALTH

MAP: Just how full are Switzerland’s intensive care units in each canton?

ICU (Intensive Care Unit) beds are being taken up in hospitals all across Switzerland by coronavirus patients in serious conditions. How do things look in your canton?

Published: 6 November 2020 11:30 CET
Updated: 7 November 2020 13:37 CET
MAP: Just how full are Switzerland's intensive care units in each canton?
AFP

Rising case numbers across Switzerland

On Thursday, Switzerland topped 10,000 infections nationwide for the first time since the start of the pandemic. 

With 10,128 infections in the 24 hours to Thursday, Switzerland hit its highest one-day total. Weekend totals have been higher, however this is for multiple days 

In addition to the infection count, 399 people were admitted to hospital while 62 people died. 

Hospital numbers the key factor 

While case numbers often attract the headlines, authorities pay the most attention to hospitalisation numbers to see how deadly the virus is in the community. 

Fortunately, despite mounting infection rates, Switzerland has still avoided the highs of March and April. 

Despite this however, Swiss authorities are concerned about rising hospitalisation rates. 

From an average of 30 hospitalisations per day in the first week of October, hospitalisation rates have averaged more than 140 per day over the past seven days. 

Martin Ackermann, head of the federal coronavirus task force, said on Thursday “if things continue like this, the hospitals will be full in around two weeks.”

Ackerman said only the public’s adherence to the country’s coronavirus measures could stop hospital beds being completely exhausted. 

“The hospitals will exceed their capacity limits. But with the measures we can shorten this phase in November and December. “

Intensive care beds could become critical

The true impact of the pandemic has been laid bare in Switzerland’s intensive care units, many of which are already nearing capacity. 

The figures show the total number of ICU beds in each canton, along with how many are in use and how many are free. 

As reported by Watson, several cantons only have one or two intensive care beds left – while in Aargau the capacity of 54 is already exhausted. 

At the other end of the spectrum, Basel Country has the highest percentage of free beds (12 beds free from 32) while Zurich has the highest raw number of free beds (106 free beds)

Note: No figures were available for Appenzell Innerrhoden or Obwalden. 

The in-use beds include patients being treated for coronavirus and non-coronavirus-related conditions. 

Overall totals by canton

Aargau 54 of 54 beds in use (100%)

Appenzell Ausserrhoden 6 of 9 beds in use (66.67%)

Appenzell Innerrhoden No Data

Basel-Country 20 of 32 beds in use (62.5%)

Basel-City 54 from 66 beds in use (81.82%)

Bern 113 of 139 beds in use (81.29%)

Fribourg 24 of 25 beds in use (96%)

 

Genève 53 of 62 beds in use (85.48%)

Glarus 6 of 8 beds in use (75%)

Graubünden 20 of 26 beds in use (76.92%)

Jura 8 of 9 beds in use (88.89%)

Lucerne 67 of 95 beds in use (70.53%)

Neuchâtel 20 of 24 beds in use (83.33%)

Nidwalden 6 of 9 beds in use (66.67%)

Obwalden No Data

St Gallen 60 of 71 beds in use (84.51%)

Schaffhausen 8 of 10 beds in use (80%)

Schwyz 12 of 3 beds in use (80%)

Solothurn 25 of 5 beds in use (83.33%)

Thurgau 31 of 38 beds in use (81.58%)

Ticino 67 of 93 beds in use (72.04%)

Uri 6 of 8 beds in use (75%)

Valais 33 of 39 beds in use (84.62%)

Vaud 129 of 151 beds in use (85.43%)

Zug 8 of 10 beds in use (80%)

Zürich 328 of 434 beds in use (75.58%)

 

 

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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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