Ticino care homes: minimum daily rate returns for hardship cases

The Ticino cantonal government has decided to reinstate the minimum daily rate of 84 francs in care homes for the elderly, including so-called hardship cases, meaning situations where the theoretical calculation falls below that threshold. The announcement came on Thursday, after the first months of applying the new system for calculating the daily rate.

The government described the decision as "prudenziale" (precautionary), citing costs that have so far turned out higher than estimated. The initial forecast pointed to about 250,000 francs a year in lower revenue from the overall structural impact of the new calculation method. The specific financial effect of hardship cases, however, depends on each resident's individual situation and on the outcome of checks on supplementary benefits, a variable that could not be precisely quantified in advance.

For this reason, the government decided to repeal Article 13 paragraph 3 of the regulation governing the calculation of the daily rate charged to residents in recognised social and health care institutions.

Who pays the difference

The allowance applied to the value of houses and land remains in place: in certain situations it still allows the rate to be reduced. But owning property does not by itself open the door to hardship relief. The canton notes that a resident's entire financial situation is assessed, including whether they are entitled to supplementary benefits.

What remains unclear is how many elderly residents, or their families, will end up paying a higher rate than expected under the new regulation, and whether the reversal will mainly affect those with modest means that fall just short of qualifying for supplementary benefits. The government maintains that the core elements of the new system remain unchanged, and that monitoring will continue once further data becomes available. Only then will it be clear whether this adjustment is enough to contain costs.