Non-communicable diseases cause healthcare costs of CHF 65.7 billion per year
According to a cost study for 2022, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for around 72 % of total healthcare costs - equivalent to CHF 65.7 billion. Overall, healthcare costs in Switzerland amount to CHF 91.5 billion. Of this, somatic, i.e. physical illnesses such as neurological diseases, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders and cancer account for the largest share at around CHF 90 %. Mental illnesses account for around 10 %. In view of the high disease burden and costs, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) continues to focus on cost-containment measures as well as health promotion and prevention.
In the last ten years, healthcare costs have risen by a total of 37 %: From CHF 66.6 billion in 2012 to CHF 91.5 billion in 2022. According to the new study, NCDs account for CHF 65.7 billion, or 72 % of healthcare costs. In individual cases, treatment costs have risen by 48 % during this period. This is due, for example, to care-intensive treatments or higher expenditure on outpatient services.
Within the NCDs, neurological diseases caused the highest expenditure with 10.8 % of total costs, particularly dementia. This is followed by cardiovascular diseases (10.4 %) such as hypertension or stroke, mental illnesses (10.4 %) such as depression, musculoskeletal diseases (10 %) such as back pain and cancer (6.9 %).
Production losses and health costs of NCDs amount to 109 billion
Non-communicable diseases are not only a burden on the healthcare system, but also on the economy. If production losses are added to the health costs caused by NCDs - e.g. due to sickness-related absences from work and lost years of life for those who are ill - the total costs amount to around CHF 109 billion per year. This corresponds to around 14 % of gross domestic product.
A large proportion of these production losses are caused by musculoskeletal diseases (17.1 %), mental illnesses (16.9 %) and cardiovascular diseases (7.3 %). Preventing these through health promotion and disease prevention is therefore particularly important.
Follow-up costs of lack of exercise and obesity in the billions
Protective and risk factors have a major influence on the development of NCDs. Tobacco and alcohol consumption and an unbalanced diet are among the relevant risk factors for NCDs, while exercise is a key protective factor. The study expands the existing data basis by calculating the secondary diseases and health costs of physical inactivity, overweight and obesity. These risk factors have an impact on almost all NCDs. In 2022, lack of exercise, overweight and obesity caused secondary diseases that had an impact of around CHF 5.4 billion on healthcare costs. Dementia, depression and osteoporosis accounted for the largest share of healthcare costs due to a lack of exercise. In the case of overweight and obesity, the most expensive secondary diseases are type 2 diabetes, hypertension and osteoarthritis.
Health promotion and prevention with a focus on priority fields of action
The study confirms the FOPH's view that the current focus on health promotion and prevention is the right one. The NCD Strategy 2017-2028 currently concentrates on the topics of tobacco/nicotine, mental health and overweight and obesity - three priorities with the greatest need for action. It assumes that effective prevention works best in the interplay between individual health literacy and a health-promoting environment. The results of the cost study also provide important information for prioritizing the follow-up strategy from 2029.
In addition to its commitment to health promotion and prevention, the FOPH has been working for years to contain costs in the health insurance sector, for example by reviewing existing and newly included services, regularly reviewing drug prices and monitoring new tariff structures.
About the study
The Federal Office of Public Health FOPH has commissioned the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, the University of Lucerne and the Bern University of Applied Sciences to calculate the costs of NCDs and their risk factors. The study «Costs of communicable and non-communicable diseases and costs of the risk factors overweight/obesity and physical inactivity in Switzerland» calculates the monetary costs in Switzerland in 2012, 2017 and 2022.
An initial cost study was carried out in 2014 using figures from 2011. A new edition of the previous study was planned. The current study has been further developed, contains new data sources and takes into account a new methodology. The monetary costs include the healthcare costs (direct medical costs) and the production losses (indirect costs) due to the lost ability to work of those affected. The new study allows an analysis over time.
