Switzerland is one of the best countries in the world for healthcare infrastructure and medical expertise. Basic health insurance is mandatory as per the Swiss Federal Law. Healthcare management is regulated by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) but is delegated to private health insurers who are non-profit entities.
From the time you arrive in Switzerland, you have 3 months to ensure that you have health insurance from any of the private insurance carriers as per your requirement and convenience. All the benefits of each basic insurance scheme are defined in the Swiss Federal Healthcare Insurance act, which makes it mandatory for the health insurers to provide equal benefits to all under the basic insurance package. It is advisable that you complete your health insurance comparison as soon as you begin planning for your stay in Switzerland.
The basic insurance covers all the basic medical needs for illness, accidents, and maternity, including most physician visits, hospital stay and care, medicines, devices, home care, medical services for long-term care, and also physiotherapy.
Those who require additional coverage can opt for extra coverage over and beyond what the basic insurance covers. Some of the additional benefits would include better hospital accommodation, gym memberships, or even the requisite legal assistance. However, these supplementary insurance packages will differ from insurer to insurer.
As per the law, all policyholders will have a per-capita premium, which means that insurance is applicable on an individual level only. The premiums are independent of the policyholder’s income but will be based on the age, residence, and the insurer’s company.
You should also know about Switzerland’s universal healthcare system is is highly decentralized, the states (or cantons) playing a major role in regulation. It is made possible through policyholder premiums, state taxes, social insurance contributions, and also out-of-pocket payments which are done by patients. So a careful health insurance comparison is very important to keep your premiums to a minimum, which may otherwise spiral out of control.
Affordable Health Insurance
Health care costs in Switzerland are the second-highest in the world. However, there are constant government initiatives to reduce the costs of providing mandatory benefits in the basic insurance scheme, including improving cost-control and tariff schemes, and a pharmaceutical reference price system which you can use to ensure that you are getting fair value. The regulatory agencies also provide extensive resources for citizens to do comprehensive health insurance comparisons so they do not pay more than is necessary to the insurance provider. To know more about the health insurance comparison, visit at https://www.healthinsurance-swiss.ch/
The Federal law also ensures that the private insurance providers do not take advantage of the compulsory insurance schemes to take advantage of the applicants. Though individuals can choose whichever insurance they prefer, you must be aware that the plans usually impose relatively high cost-sharing, with deductibles and cost-sharing. For example, the policyholder has to pay a minimum deductible before the insurance coverage is activated. Even after the deductible, you are required to pay around 10% co-insurance of the total costs for the rest of the amount. There is a maximum limit for co-insurance as well, which differs from plan to plan.
How to Make Health Insurance Comparison
You can start a health insurance comparison from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) which provides comprehensive information about all aspects of Swiss health insurance. Some of the factors you must consider when choosing the right provider for you:
- If you are generally healthy and rarely require medical care, the major criteria is the insurance premium. Your best option would be to choose the most economical option that balances high deductibles with the cheapest health care management model for your requirement.
- Those who opt for HMO, pharmacy, or family doctor policies generally pay lower premiums than the standard costs.
- Insurance providers are also tying up with different medical networks to provide low-cost insurance. Depending on your preferred healthcare service providers, choose the insurance package that has a partnership with them.
- Insurers have different models for healthcare expense reimbursement. Budget providers may not offer premium or extensive service, which you must consider before choosing your package.
- There is no need to opt for a single provider for basic and supplementary insurance. It is advisable to consider getting policies from multiple insurers to ensure complete coverage as per your particular healthcare requirements.
- Family members and dependents can also opt for the most relevant insurance package as per their requirements. This is especially useful for young children and retired adults so that they receive the maximum coverage at the least cost.
CONCLUSION
Though Switzerland’s healthcare system may seem too confusing, due diligence can help you save money without compromising on the quality of care. Make sure that you utilize all available data for a complete health insurance comparison, and not just to save on premiums. There are several governments and private avenues where you can identify the best package that serves your individual requirement well.
The perfect insurance provider for you should charge the lowest premiums for your requisite medical care, offers your preferred insurance model, has tie-ups with healthcare networks of your choice, has a high level of customer satisfaction with high-quality service, and can also offer supplementary insurance that you require to ensure complete coverage for you.
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