Your Health Insurance in 2024

Banks, Insurances & Third Pillar
64

Thanks for the tip :+1: Any example?

FRC.ch gives Compact One a “severe restrictions” rating because the care and choice of Dr is dictated by Medgate. I guess the concern is conflict of interest

What I don’t have any experience of is whether that is a problem in reality


65

Any example?

Well, focusing only on the Sanitas Compact-One “fiche” they publish:

  • Stated “Tiers payant”. I clarified, both calling Sanitas and both better reading the T&C it is instead Tiers payant. I don’t understand why is it red. I checked some other tiers payant models and are green.
  • “Les gĂ©nĂ©riques sont oligatoires” (translated: “generic drugs are mandatory”) is in red. I don’t see it as a big deal, as the generic drugs and the branded-one are virtually identical.
  • “Choice gynecologue: Libre pour les examens gynĂ©cologiques prĂ©ventifs et ceux liĂ©s Ă  une maternitĂ©, y compris l’accouchement” (translated: “the choice of the gynaecologist is free”) is red. Why?? I don’t see anything better than the free choice!

Final point: it is not clear when they updated these “fiches”. There is written on top “EDITION: 01.2022”, but it changed in the last month and this date remained the same


I think that the idea of resuming the T&C is good, but it has to be accurate (and fair) to be useful!

EDIT: typo, in the “fiche” it is stated “tiers payant”, but it’s red.

EDIT 2: NO, I was not crazy, there are multiple “fiche” published around with the same date (meaning that they look like the same version but they are not as the information stated are very different)!!!

For reference: fiche 1 (garant) and fiche 2 (payant).

In the future I will completely disregard frc.ch as they only add confusion.

66

Weird. When I go via the link to frc page and click on Sanitas Compact One policy I get different fiche to the one you linked and it says Tiers payant !

Proves your point to check the T&C

67

when is the last date to switch krankenkasse?

68

Your cancellation letter must reach your insurer at the latest on November 30th. You have then until end of the year to make a contract with a different insurer.

Note that your cancellation letter can be sent in A+ instead of R, saving you a few bucks.

2 Likes
69

thanks, what means A+ and R?

70

Services offered by the Swiss Post:

71

Checked again: I was incorrectly stating it was written “gerant” while it was written “payant”.

Still, the coulors are wrong because “payant” should be green (and I saw other “fiches” with payant in green).

In any case I edited my answer to you above :slight_smile:

72

Has anyone checked Sympany’s website directly ? It shows a cheaper insurance than those shown on priminfo. Weird (legal?)
edit: right now the tool is offline. they are reading us! :slight_smile:

73

Is it due to incl./excl. ca. 5 chf “environment fees” or whatever they are called? :slight_smile:

74

I thought about it, but I saw the second cheaper one and I thought it was the priminfo one.
It turns out they have two offers that differ 5chf. my bad :smiley:

75

I will change my basic insurance from SWICA to Sanitas Compact One and I will keep my SWICA supplementary insurance.

Why Sanitas Compact One?

  • Cheapest premium, high customer satisfaction score in Comparis
  • Consultations with Medgate Doctors are free 24/7 under the policy and they can send prescriptions directly to a pharmacy
  • I reassured myself about concerns flagged by FRC on restrictions on choice of Dr and conflict of interest. (The people on the phone are Drs, I assume they will not exclude a Dr so long as they charge normally per agreed rates)
  • If it doesn’t work or premiums go up I’ll change back to SWICA or another insurer in 2025

Why do I want supplementary?

  • I am healthy and in my 40s and want to be in a plan with good coverage now before I have a condition that might then be excluded
  • I will not compromise on my healthcare just to be able to retire earlier or to pay for other expenses that I consider less important
  • It is budgeted for in my FIRE plan, I am lucky that I can afford it

Why choose SWICA for supplementary?

  • Their point of difference is Customer Service which was confirmed by discussions with independent advisors. They would shoot themselves in the foot if they screwed over patients
  • Premiums don’t increase with age beyond age 51
  • They give “copayment credit” against excess for items paid under basic insurance even if with another provider

I learned this is a Unique Selling Point for SWICA basic insurance. Other insurers do not offer it. I will keep in mind for 2025 [Edit: although currently I feel reassured about the restrictions on choice of Doctor in the Sanitas model that I chose.]

3 Likes
76

Did they told you that on the phone or have this in writing?

It is just incorrect, see article 11 of their AGB’s

image
image593×575 54.9 KB

You can change from standard to less expensive (with restricted choice) every month (1). But the other way around it is only at year end (2).

77

Why would you need free doctors choice in this case anyway ? Mostly you will get a prescription from your housedoctor to see a specialist and then you go to see a specialist of your choice 


78

Thinking about the conflict of interest a hypothetical scenario I put to them was a Dr with renowned expertise on a cancer and that is working with Pharma companies on trials for new drugs. Could that Dr be excluded from their list and would I forced by them to go to a different Dr prescribing cheaper, older treatment?

I was reassured that such a Dr would be on the list.

79

On the phone then reconfirmed by SWICA in an email. Additionally a representative from Comparis said the same during a presentation I attended with SWICA present.

I am not pursuing this option for 2024 so did not investigate further

80

But this guy would be the specialist. The limitation of choice of doctor is only for the house doctor, who gives you then a prescription to see a specialist. Now finding the right specialist is anyway the hardest thing. Who is good ? No idea

Honestly. would you be able to research a doctor who is currently doing state of the art treatment and actually assess his ability ? Especially in a time of emotional distress. This is why I would like to have a house doctor who can actually recommend me the right specialist (that is where you need the trust).

81

Some of the models impose choice of specialist too - refer to the FRC reviews someone linked above. For example Sanitas Compact One

Pharma companies work with selected Drs on trials. If there is a new cancer treatment with good trial read outs but that has not yet been formally approved in CH, then I want to see the Dr that can help me get that drug and not be pushed to another one to save money.

Another example, there are cancer centres of excellence in some hospitals I don’t want to be blocked from them

I was reassured it should not be a problem

I do agree most of the gossip about “excellent Drs” is pure BS

82

Could you detail which complementary did you pick ?
They have a lots of levels to cover Hospitalisation.
The HOSPITA SEMI-PRIVATE cover seem reasonnable on long horizon cover. If you have money on the side you could also increase the annual deductible to 5000 chf.

83

I have had the following for the past few years, they were selected by an independent broker at work :

  1. Hospita Flex Private: premium is lower than Hospita Private (different excess structure)
  2. Completa Top: private inpatient or outpatient treatment abroad in emergencies
  3. Optima: private outpatient treatment abroad (elective - non emergency)
  4. Completa Praeventa: its cheap and is paid back in contributions for gym membership
  5. Infortuna - private cover abroad for accidents, its cheap

Emergency transport wordlwide is also covered by the above (I think basic healthcare covers 50% and in CH only)

I just listed the main benefits, there are other benefits that like check ups, vaccinations, glasses, spas etc.

2), 3), and 4) together cost 954 CHF and I get 800 CHF back from them towards my gym membership.

You can also get ~150-200 CHF / yr in vouchers for tracking activities in SWICAs App

The “gold” package would add Hospita Private Worldwide: the gap in my current cover is elective inpatient treatment abroad. So far I concluded the extra cost does not make sense