Health insurance deductibles have remained unchanged for 20 years. Simply raising the mini-mum deductible to CHF 500 would produce potential savings of up to CHF 1.2 billion. The latest Helsana report also shows that low-income households do not look at premium levels alone when deciding which insurance to choose.
11.09.2024
People on low incomes usually tend to choose health insurance premiums designed to keep their monthly payments as low as possible. Effective ways of achieving this include setting a maximum deductible of CHF 2,500 and opting for the general practitioner model. This would allow a family of four in Baden to save around CHF 6,000 per year. That is assuming the family stays healthy throughout the year and does not utilise any medical benefits.
Our analyses have shown that just under a third of people with a monthly household income of up to CHF 4,000 choose the highest deductible of CHF 2,500. The more expensive standard model with a free choice of doctor is also popular in this income category. Households in mid-range income categories are more likely to choose an alternative insurance model. Why don’t people on low incomes take advantage of this money-saving opportunity? “Payment difficulties due to high costs for unplanned treatment can be avoided in this way. One other factor could be not knowing that the deductible and the form of insurance can be easily changed every year,” emphasises Andrea Bischof, health economist at Helsana.
“Health spending has doubled in the last 20 years, while the minimum deductible has remained unchanged at CHF 300. To slow the rise in health spending, we need greater co-payment by insured persons,” says Stefan Felder, Professor of Health Economics at the University of Basel. The analysis in Helsana’s “Income & Premiums” report shows that, based on all people having a deductible of CHF 300, an upward adjustment to CHF 500 would mean a potential saving of up to CHF 1.2 billion across all insured people in Switzerland. This would represent a reduction in premiums for adults of up to CHF 160 per year.
In its latest “Income & Premiums” report, Helsana and the University of Basel analysed the correlation between people’s income and their deductible choice, as well as which insurance model they choose for compulsory basic insurance.
We're here to help.