Suva: old claims still cost a lot
In 2014, Suva paid almost 90 million Swiss francs for the consequences of accidents or occupational diseases dating back to before the year 2000.
The consequences of accidents and occupational diseases can last for years, sometimes even decades.
Suva reported that it spent a total of CHF 1.165 billion on medical expenses in 2014. Around 88 million, or 7.5%, of this was paid for cases that originated before the year 2000. This represents a decrease of around 7 million compared to 2013, when the figure was 95 million, or 8.2% of total expenditure.
The oldest claims date back to the 1940s. However, as the statistics show, the type of treatment changes over time. "In older claims, the shares for orthopedic, rehabilitation and nursing services in the medical costs are many times higher than in younger claims. The same applies to optician and pharmacy services," says Stefan Scholz, a scientific expert at Suva.
