How Swiss healthcare costs have 'doubled' since 2000

Recently released figures show that health insurance premiums have doubled in the past 20 years, with some Swiss households spending almost one fifth of their salary on healthcare.

Figures from the Swiss Trade Union show that costs have increased by 120 percent on average since the year 2000. 

The increases are much higher than wages, while other cost-mitigating changes like rebates for people on lower incomes have also failed to keep up with rising premiums. 

READ MORE: How Swiss residents are 'paying too much' for medicines and health insurance premiums

Couples with household salaries between 60,000 and 90,000 francs spend on average 14 percent of their salaries on healthcare. 

In some of the more expensive cantons such as Bern and Zurich, the amount can be higher than 20 percent. 

While lower income Swiss will be eligible for reductions and rebates, middle-income Swiss are often hit the hardest by increases in healthcare costs. 

More going into debt to pay for healthcare

The impact of the cost increases can be seen in relation to household debt for healthcare. 

At the turn of the millennium, just over a third (36 percent) of households in Switzerland had healthcare debts higher than 5000 francs. 

At the present time, 59 percent of households had accrued debts of over 10,000 francs for healthcare costs.