Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Cross-border workers to pay higher health insurance premiums; the prices of land in Zurich stops climbing; and more Swiss news in our roundup on Wednesday.
Swiss pharmacies want to ‘reduce the burden’ on GPs
Given the shortage of family physicians in Switzerland, the almost 2,000 pharmacies in the country want to become even more proactive in providing certain healthcare services to relieve doctors' practices and hospital emergency services.
As the first point of contact for health concerns, pharmacists, who already frequently provide advice and recommendations to customers, could also carry out simple treatments and administer vaccinations, according to a report by the umbrella organisation Pharmasuisse.
READ ALSO: Eight things you can get at a Swiss pharmacy
Parliament greenlights higher healthcare premiums for cross-border workers
Cross-border employees insured in Switzerland have been paying much lower health insurance rates than local residents.
MPs have been seeking to remedy this situation, arguing that rates paid by these foreign employees should be more in line with what people living in Switzerland must pay.
On Tuesday, the Council of States has approved the push for G permit holders to be included in the overall health insurance scheme’s calculation of risk — a change that has been in the works for several years.
This means that border commuters who have opted for the Swiss insurance will pay higher premiums, while residents of border cantons will benefit from some premium reductions.
READ ALSO : Why cross-border workers could pay higher Swiss health insurance premiums?
Zurich's land prices have stabilised at last
The price of land in Switzerland’s (and, according to some studies, also the world’s) most expensive city has long been very high and rising.
Now, however, there is some good news for all those looking to buy a property in Zurich: these prices have stabilised, though at a high level, according to a press release by the city’s statistics office.
At the beginning of 2022, for instance, the price of land reached a high of 8,012 francs per square metre, but tt has dropped to just under 6,200 francs at the end of 2023.
It is too early to say with any certainty whether the slight downward trend will continue. or it is temporary, before prices climb back up again.
Switzerland has experienced the mildest February in its history
As the month is drawing to a close, meteorologists say this has been the mildest February since measurements began in 1864.
The average temperature was 4.9C higher than the average even for the month of March, according to MeteoNews weather service.
As a result, the vegetation “is more advanced than usual at this time of year."
The first peach and apricot trees are already in bloom, two to three weeks earlier than normal.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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Swiss pharmacies want to ‘reduce the burden’ on GPs
Given the shortage of family physicians in Switzerland, the almost 2,000 pharmacies in the country want to become even more proactive in providing certain healthcare services to relieve doctors' practices and hospital emergency services.
As the first point of contact for health concerns, pharmacists, who already frequently provide advice and recommendations to customers, could also carry out simple treatments and administer vaccinations, according to a report by the umbrella organisation Pharmasuisse.
READ ALSO: Eight things you can get at a Swiss pharmacy
Parliament greenlights higher healthcare premiums for cross-border workers
Cross-border employees insured in Switzerland have been paying much lower health insurance rates than local residents.
MPs have been seeking to remedy this situation, arguing that rates paid by these foreign employees should be more in line with what people living in Switzerland must pay.
On Tuesday, the Council of States has approved the push for G permit holders to be included in the overall health insurance scheme’s calculation of risk — a change that has been in the works for several years.
This means that border commuters who have opted for the Swiss insurance will pay higher premiums, while residents of border cantons will benefit from some premium reductions.
READ ALSO : Why cross-border workers could pay higher Swiss health insurance premiums?
Zurich's land prices have stabilised at last
The price of land in Switzerland’s (and, according to some studies, also the world’s) most expensive city has long been very high and rising.
Now, however, there is some good news for all those looking to buy a property in Zurich: these prices have stabilised, though at a high level, according to a press release by the city’s statistics office.
At the beginning of 2022, for instance, the price of land reached a high of 8,012 francs per square metre, but tt has dropped to just under 6,200 francs at the end of 2023.
It is too early to say with any certainty whether the slight downward trend will continue. or it is temporary, before prices climb back up again.
Switzerland has experienced the mildest February in its history
As the month is drawing to a close, meteorologists say this has been the mildest February since measurements began in 1864.
The average temperature was 4.9C higher than the average even for the month of March, according to MeteoNews weather service.
As a result, the vegetation “is more advanced than usual at this time of year."
The first peach and apricot trees are already in bloom, two to three weeks earlier than normal.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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