The Corona pandemic still has us in its clutches – with immense implications for the health of the body and mind, as well as for healthcare costs. The Federal Council has adopted an initial report. However, more precise data are still lacking for an exact quantitative assessment.
The Federal Council was asked to study the financial impact of the Corona pandemic on health care stakeholders. This includes the healthcare costs incurred by the federal government, cantons and insurers as well as those insured under the mandatory health insurance scheme (OKP) as a result of the pandemic. In addition, the effects on the premiums and reserves of the insurers of the OKP will be considered. A first interim report has been prepared, which contains an initial, mainly qualitative overview of the pandemic-related health care costs per cost unit. Because the pandemic is still ongoing and due to the usual time delay for data collection and processing, reliable data are currently only available to a limited extent. Quantitative statements are therefore only possible to a limited extent. In 2020, CHF 428 million was spent on the procurement of medical supplies (including logistics) and CHF 190 million on the procurement of vaccines (including logistics). For 2021, CHF 1.2 billion is budgeted for the procurement of medical supplies and vaccinations. This amount is specifically earmarked for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines. Federal spending in 2020 for bills already received was CHF 194 million. An additional CHF 2.4 billion has been budgeted for analyses in 2021. An average day of treatment for a Covid 19 patient in a hospital bed unit was estimated to cost between CHF 1556-1778; with intensive care in the ICU, the average day of treatment per patient cost between CHF 3556-4444. The cantons’ share is at least 55%. Accordingly, the estimated inpatient costs for the cantons for 2020 range between approximately CHF 284 and 335 million. However, care must be taken when dealing with this information. The figures given here are rough estimates and not exact values.
Because the pandemic is ongoing, much of the information and data needed to respond to the postulate will not be available until a much later date. The question of the healthcare costs caused by the pandemic can only be answered conclusively once the pandemic has ended and the necessary data have been collected and evaluated. At present, the uncertainties are too great to be able to estimate all the financial implications for the entire healthcare system. Another report is to follow by the end of 2022.
Source, “Impact of Covid 19 Pandemic on Healthcare Payers,” 04/21/2021. Available at: www.bag.admin.ch/bag/de/home.html
CARDIOVASC 2021; 20(4): 40 (published 1/12/21, ahead of print).
InFo NEUROLOGY & PSYCHIATRY 2021, 19(6): 40.
