For my current params, Sympany FlexHelp24 seems like the least limiting option and one of the cheapest ones.
Telephone call suggestion seems “non-binding”, which is an advantage over something like Assura Qualimed (which is only 5CHF cheaper).
Any experiences with Sympany?
P.S. Do you know if hospitalization supplement can be taken up at a later date (e.g. only from 1.1., for a “newly insured” coming into CH now)?
That seems to be a mistake on moneyland.ch. If you go to Sympanys website, it is clearly written that it is binding and you have to follow their suggestion otherwise you will face financial consequences (i.e. losing the premium reduction).
You can definitely do it later, might have to go through a health assessment tho.
I checked some insurance models today, really seems to differ between suggesting or binding telemedicine models.
Not sure if it helps others but I also noticed e.g., Assura Pharmed model allows you to purchase medication only at Assura recognized pharmacies which are a handful or less depending on the canton.
Personally, I dislike the lack of transparency or at least the complexity of insurance providers, models, and semi-hidden fees such as consultation costs when videocalling with a doctor or unnecessary appointments to get transferred to a specialist.
If you have a supplemental insurance covering for a check-up you can book one with your GP and ask for a voucher (= bon de délégation) for a specialist during that consultation.
I am obviously not recommending to always go that route (your supplemental insurance will anyway not cover those too frequently), but if you are due for one (recommended every 5 years) then why not. Save you the online consultation at least.
Based on this
KVG
Also for me Assura Qualimed is the cheapest.
2024 KPT win.win worked fine for me, but the price increase is quite high.
Regarding Assura, indeed BetterDoc is a bit confusing and in addition you pay to call MedGate, while with win.win so far it was included (I guess also in 2025) as well as with win.smart.
This is year the cheapest with KPT is win.plus (HMO)
I did some calculation for my situation:
-16% increase with the same insurance (KPT win.win)
-10% increase with KPT win.plus
-23.5% increase with Swica MedPharm
-7% increase with Assura Qualimed
-12.5% increase with Assura Pharmed
Qualimed sounds the best option, but if you just call 3-4 times per year via phone, the difference with KPT win.wn is 7% (instead of 9.5%)
Wow, how much does calling cost??
Similar to GP consultation I’d assume, but hopefully less duration and components 
Thanks for correcting.
I read through a bit, and find this part super confusing - are calls then charged or free?
“Sympany covers the costs for telemedical treatment and advice for all flexhelp24 policyholders. Calls to Medgate telemedicine will be billed at your usual rate.”
I considered 4 calls at 60 bucks each. I guess it’s fair with 4 calls for 2 people in 1Y.
Actually I was also thinking about that with win.win you save the money of the family doctor, because (at least in my experience) I just go directly with specialists.
I need to figure out if with qualimed, you can call (pay the call) but then decide the specialist you want. BetterDoc is free, but if they force you to decide between 3 (random) specialists, it doesn’t sound good to me
Reas the fingerprints of qualimed and run away from this. I took pharmed for chf 10 more per month but way less restrictive conditions.
What other fineprints you mean?
I’m in Zurich like many others here and I just noticed that even Helsana is cheaper than kpt win.win (last year’s cheap one. edit: actually I think it wasn’t anymore the cheapest but 2nd or so).
I see:
So now I need to know how Vivao or Atupri are as well…otherwise back with Helsana. edit: Assura was fine last time I used it.
It’s free.
Read more here.
With Medgate, you will benefit from 24/7 telemedical advice and treatment minus the waiting rooms, by phone or video using the Medgate app. All telemedical benefits will be free of charge for you: Sympany covers all costs, with no cost contribution whatsoever.
Thanks for confirming, that is great then.
That’s where I also got the quote from above (right next to “Sympany covers”, so I wonder how it’s to be intepreted).
“Calls to Medgate telemedicine will be billed at your usual rate”
You were not far off, I read 50 chf on average on medgates’ website. But indeed even my cheapest ever GP visit was not a 2 digits number.
Ah now I see it.
If you call the 0844 number, you pay the usual 0844 rate via your mobile provider (max 0.075 chf/min i think). But you don’t pay for the actual ‘service’ on top or via separate bill.
And you don’t pay when they call you because you inquired a call via app. In my experience, Medgate can be hard to reach (waiting times), so if its not urgent, the app will be more convenient anyway.
Fineprints sorry.
What a pain to have to follow these rules if you are sick.
in french :
12.2 Consultation auprès du Centre de télémédecine
12.2.1 Si le Centre de télémédecine constate que l’assuré
doit consulter un médecin généraliste, l’assuré devra alors
s’adresser au Médecin de famille qu’il aura choisi et suivre la
procédure telle que prévue à l’article 12.3 ci-dessous.
12.2.2 Dans les autres cas, le Centre de télémédecine fournit
à l’assuré un conseil médical et/ou convient avec l’assuré du
traitement adéquat que ce dernier s’engage à suivre. Le
Centre de télémédecine définit notamment les fournisseurs
de soins et/ou les spécialistes. L’assuré s’engage à les
consulter et à se faire traiter par ces derniers, dans les limites
des dispositions de la LAMal, sous réserve d’une consultation
du Centre d’expertise indépendant (voir article 12.2.3
ci-dessous).
12.2.3 Si l’assuré doit consulter un spécialiste dont la
spécialisation est énumérée sur le site internet d’Assura,
le Centre de télémédecine l’invitera à s’adresser au
Centre d’expertise indépendant, afin d’obtenir trois
recommandations de spécialistes. Le Centre d’expertise
indépendant formulera ces recommandations notamment
sur la base des données reçues de la part du Centre de
télémédecine. L’assuré s’engage avant toute autre
démarche à consulter l’un des spécialistes recommandés
par le Centre d’expertise indépendant et à se faire traiter
par ce spécialiste dans les limites des dispositions de la
LAMal.
12.2.4 S’il s’avère nécessaire dans le cadre de la même
affection pour l’assuré de consulter un autre fournisseur de
soins et/ou un autre spécialiste dont la spécialisation n’est
pas énumérée sur le site internet d’Assura, il doit à nouveau
prendre contact avec le Centre de télémédecine avant toute
consultation, afin de mettre son traitement à jour.
12.2.5 S’il s’avère nécessaire dans le cadre de la même
affection de consulter un autre spécialiste dont la
spécialisation est énumérée sur le site internet d’Assura,
l’assuré doit, avant toute autre démarche et notamment avant
toute autre consultation, à nouveau s’adresser au Centre
d’expertise indépendant afin d’obtenir la recommandation de
trois spécialistes. Le Centre d’expertise indépendant
formulera ces recommandations notamment sur la base des
données reçues de la part du Centre de télémédecine.
L’assuré s’engage avant toute autre démarche à
consulter l’un des spécialistes recommandés par le
Centre d’expertise indépendant et à se faire traiter par ce
spécialiste, dans les limites des dispositions de la LAMal.
Well, it seems annoying but not a no-go thing. You just have to call them every time the doctor/specialist sends you somewhere else.
Something really funny happened to me today, I’m currently insured with standard model for the basis insurance (so the most expensive model) and have a complementary with the same insurer.
I have called my insurer (not a broker) to change something in my complementary cover
and during the call the operator tried to convince me to take a cheaper model for my basis insurance.
I’m not sure to understand why? are the alternative models more profitable for the insurance company? are they afraid that I switch to an other insurer?
