As you know it is mandatory to have health insurance in Switzerland, and this can get quite expensive. The government recognises that this can be hard for families and there is support in place known as “prämienverbilligung” to help families with low income. But what is low income? This varies greatly from canton to canton, whereas in the canton of Grisons families with two children and an income of less than CHF 150 000 per year are entitled to subsidies, in the canton of Lucerne this was, until recently, only given to families earning CHF 54 000.- or less a year. The government considered this much too low and has ordered the canton of Lucerne to bring the barrier up to CHF 87 000.- per family. This motion was passed in the canton’s parliament and will, hopefully, soon be put into action.
It is also worth noting, that health insurance costs makes up 17% of a Lucerne family’s budget, making it the only canton in Switzerland to be above the national average of 14%.
It is official, as of next year shops will be allowed to stay open daily until 19.00, until 17.00 on Saturdays but will only have one late night shopping night a week which will end at 20.00. This decision was approved by the canton’s parliament yesterday.
A skier caused an avalanche in Hoch-Ybrig yesterday and, because a glove was spotted in the snow, a massive rescue operation was started. It was later assessed that no one was hurt but it is now highly likely that the skier will have to pay at least part of the costs from the rescue mission. This should give freeriders pause for thought, that beyond risking their own and other people’s lives by skiing recklessly, it can turn out to be quite an expensive exercise!
