The Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) has adopted several amendments to the Health Insurance Benefits Ordinance (HIBO), entering into force on 1 July 2026, with one measure effective 1 January 2027. The changes partly result from the cost-containment roundtable convened by Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider.

The principal measures are as follows: First, laboratory tariffs will be reduced from 1 July 2026. Fees for service paid by laboratories to referring physicians will be abolished by agreement with the Swiss Association of Medical Laboratories (Verband der medizinischen Laboratorien der Schweiz, FAMH), the order fee (Auftragstaxe) will be cut by CHF 5, and tariffs for the ten highest-revenue analyses will be reduced, together generating annual compulsory health insurance savings of approximately CHF 85 million. Second, the maximum reimbursement rate for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device rentals used in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea will be reduced from CHF 1.50 to CHF 1.36 per day, reflecting updated data on actual therapy duration and yielding savings of approximately CHF 7 million annually. Third, as of 1 January 2027, pharmacists will be authorised to administer prophylactic vaccinations at the expense of the compulsory health insurance, including vaccination counselling – a measure intended to lower barriers to adult vaccination and improve uptake against conditions such as influenza and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE).

For more information, see here.