Switzerland Health Insurance

“Confoederatio Helvetica” is the Latin term for the Swiss Confederation, and is the official name for Switzerland. The landlocked Alpine European country has attracted outdoor sports enthusiasts for centuries, and today is popular for its winter sports, especially skiing, rafting, and other adventure sports in the warmer months. Politically neutral, Switzerland is the home of several multinational organizations including several UN offices. Long renowned for its banking secrecy, in recent years Switzerland has come under international pressure to increase the transparency of its banking system. Switzerland is governed by a federal system, with much of the power devolved to the local regions, or “cantons” which are roughly divided by language groups. The four official languages of Switzerland are German, French, Italian and Romansh.

Switzerland is highly regarded for its high quality of life, with Zurich and Geneva consistently ranking among the world’s best places to live. This is also reflected in the country’s health indicators. Life expectancy is 80 years for males and 84 years for females. The country spends 11.3 percent of GDP on health care, or about USD 5,072 per capita annually as of 2009. Government expenditure represents slightly less than 60 percent of overall health care spending in Switzerland’s generous state-run health care system. Surprisingly, given the maturity of the insurance market in Switzerland, out of pocket expenditure accounts for three fourths of total private health care spending. Switzerland health insurance accounts for less than one fourth of total private health care spending.

Switzerland Health Insurance and Health Care Indices

Switzerland’s health care indices are near the top of global tables across the board. Rates of communicable disease are very low, even by the standards of developed western European countries. Only five percent of total years of life lost in Switzerland can be attributed to communicable diseases, according to WHO calculations. HIV and tuberculosis infection rates are at or below European averages. While Switzerland suffers disproportionately from non-communicable diseases, these do tend to occur later in life. Still, close to one third of Swiss males smoke, which strongly contributes to rates of cardiovascular disease in the country.

Maternal mortality rates are less than half of the already low European average; this can be partly attributed to Switzerland’s well-staffed health care system, which allows all births to be attended by skilled health care personnel. There are 40.7 doctors and 159.6 nurses and midwives per 10,000 people in Switzerland, which far exceeds the regional norms. In addition to the WHO headquarters based in Geneva, there are 17 WHO collaborating centers in Switzerland which carry out medical research on a broad range of topics ranging from substance abuse research to bioethics.

Switzerland has 313 state run hospitals, including 129 general hospitals and 72 specialty clinics. With oversight from the Swiss Ministry of Health, health care is managed on the cantonal and local level, and local insurance is governed and financed by the “mutuelle” system, similar to most countries of continental Western Europe. There is also “subsidized private” care which includes home care for those in recovery and, in some cases, the terminally ill. In addition, there are a number of private clinics, spas and wellness institutes covering a wide range of maladies. Health care in Switzerland can be expensive, and Switzerland health insurance may provide supplementary coverage, or better access to private clinics. Health care insurance is compulsory for all Swiss citizens and residents.

Switzerland Health Insurance for Tourists and Expatriates

Aside from typical tourist maladies such as gastrointestinal distress, visitors to Switzerland tend to enjoy robust health. Most health issues stem from accidents involving winter or adventure sports, and these are generally well treated in Switzerland’s dedicated clinics. Visitors may wish to bring prescription or over the counter pills taken regularly. Although many drugs worldwide are produced by Swiss companies, it should be noted that brand names and strengths of prescription and over the counter medication may differ even from other European countries, so read labels carefully and consult with a physician before beginning a course of medication in the country. Also, drug approvals processes in Switzerland do not necessarily mirror those of EU and other foreign countries, so availability of medication may vary.

Expatriates in Switzerland are required to register for Swiss health insurance within three months of arriving in the country, unless your insurance scheme at home covers at least the cost of obligatory Swiss health care, or if you work for an international organization in Switzerland. Bear in mind that Switzerland’s health insurance plans only cover individuals, not families, so a separate plan will be required for each household member.

Most basic Swiss medical insurance plans do not cover dental care, so supplementary coverage will be required. Private supplementary coverage and dental care plans often require a three month probationary period before taking effect. In spite of Switzerland’s well developed domestic health insurance plans, an international health insurance plan is strongly recommended for tourists and expatriates in order to ensure continuity of coverage and a clear understanding of what supplementary health insurance is included.

Switzerland Expat Medical Insurance

While Switzerland has an extremely robust and well developed healthcare system, it is important to be aware that many residents of the country will pay for the costs associated with medical treatment out-of-pocket. As a developed first world nation the costs associated with medical care in Switzerland can be extremely high, necessitating the purchase of some form of Swiss health insurance coverage. Expat Medical Insurance has a staff of dedicated advisors able to help you find the right Switzerland medical insurance plan for the duration of your stay in the country. For a free quote, simply complete the short form at the top of this page.