Purchase of medical aids in the EEA to be reimbursed
Published: Friday, Dec 13th 2024, 13:00
Back to Live Feed
Anyone who purchases certain medical products and items privately in other European countries will in future be reimbursed by their health insurance company. The Federal Council is proposing this cost-containment measure by amending the Health Insurance Act.
Today, these products and items - such as bandages, blood glucose strips or prostheses - are generally not reimbursed if they are purchased abroad, as the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) announced on Friday. This means that insured persons in Switzerland can currently only benefit from cheaper offers abroad in emergencies.
The Federal Council would like certain products purchased in the European Economic Area (EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) to be covered by health insurance companies in future. These include consumables in particular. This is because these would have cost health insurers around CHF 315 million in 2021, around half of the cost volume of all resources and items reimbursed by compulsory health insurance.
The Federal Council hopes that the measure will curb costs in Switzerland and promote competition. The government would then regulate the specific means and objects to be adopted at ordinance level. The consultation period lasts until March 31.
©Keystone/SDA
English 
German 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic