Premium subsidies in the canton of Solothurn

What federal law guarantees everywhere

Cantons run premium reduction: they decide who qualifies, for how much, and how payment is made. That freedom is why the same income opens an entitlement in one canton and not in its neighbour.

Two floors nevertheless apply across Switzerland. For low- and middle-income households, children’s premiums must be reduced by at least 80 %, and those of young adults in training by at least 50 %. These are minimums: several cantons go further.

In 2024 public authorities paid CHF 6.6 billion under this heading, of which CHF 3.3 billion — 50.6 % — came from the Confederation. This is not marginal support: after premiums themselves, it is the second largest source of health insurance funding.

How to proceed

1. 1First check whether your canton pays automatically. Some cross-reference tax data and send the decision with no application; others only examine applications filed. Not knowing which is the leading cause of lost subsidies.
2. 2Have your latest tax assessment ready: it is almost always the basis for calculating determining income.
3. 3Meet the cantonal deadline. It varies by canton, and a late application is generally not made up retroactively.
4. 4Report any change — marriage, separation, birth, job loss, moving to another canton. Entitlement is recalculated, and a move restarts the process from scratch in the new canton.